Volume 18, Issue 6 December / January 2008 / 2009 ConNotations FREE The Bi-Monthly , & Convention Newszine of the Central Speculative Fiction Society

An Interview with Featured Inside Melanie Rawn Regular Features Special Features by Catherine Book SF Tube Talk An Interview with Melanie Rawn I met Melanie Rawn at a All the latest about by Catherine Book small restaurant in Sedona, a Scienc Fiction TV shows halfway point between her home by Lee Whiteside in Flagstaff and mine in Phoe- Inkheart Screening Passes Contest nix. Her smile was like a ray of 24 Frames sunshine. Now, you might say All the latest Movie News that was too much a cliché; but, and his by Lee Whiteside you know, clichés had to come Empire of the Net from somewhere and that is By Shane Shellenbarger exactly the right way to describe Gamers Corner her. Melanie is such a nice, New and Reviews from An Amercan in New Zealand friendly person; her interview the gaming world by Jeffrey Lu was so fun for me. I started by asking her how Videophile Plus long she’d been writing. Reviews of genre releases Scribbling – her term – since on DVD CASFS Business Report she was five years old, she remembered Melanie is one where A) she’s not that she started actually writing when she rewriting their stuff in her head, and B) Screening Room FYI was 20. She thinks a writer should not set her inner proofreader turns off. She Reviews of current theatrical releases News and tidbits of interest to fans pen to paper until they are certain they often receives galleys for her review and know the language they intend to use. By she won’t put her name on a review In Our Book Club Listings language she means a writer needs to have unless she really loves the book. And it Reviews of New SF/F Books good grammar and they need to know any needs to be either something very new or Convention List & terms they might need for their story. If the writing must be very, very good. But Musty Tomes Generic Registration Form someone asks her how they should start what does Melanie likes to read? Reviews of Classic Genre books writing, she recommends they take a Mysteries, histories and biographies; but Grammar 101 course to get the idea of she doesn’t read in genre while she’s how the English language works. What writing. If she starts using longer clauses about plotting, I asked her. Where would a or sentences, you know she’s been CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT new writer learn plotting? Absolutely no reading Jane Austen again… idea, she answered. Probably by reading a She once wrote a book in 1985, The http://www.casfs.org/ConNotations/ lot, she speculated. If you read everything, Rushden Legacy, using the pseudonym of you’ll start to recognize the plotting – what Ellen Randolph. I asked her about that. FOR UP TO DATE INFO AND MOVIE REVIEWS BETWEEN ISSUES works and what doesn’t. A book that grabs ( Continued on page 7)

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Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 1 Pick up your copy of ConNotations at the following locations In This Issue Who Is Who This Issue Managing Editor: Stephanie Bannon BOOK STORES COMIC STORES News & Reviews Assistant to the Editor: Gary Swaty Bent Cover Bookstore All About Comics SF Tube Talk 3 Graphics Editor: Craig L. Dyer th Film & Video Editors: Len Berger & 12428 N. 28 Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85029 5060 N. Central, Phoenix, AZ 24 Frames 3 Craig L Dyer (602) 942-5932 (602) 277-0757 FYI 8 Promotions Directors: Len Berger, Book Exchange Ash Avenue Comics & Books Videophile 10 Richard Bolinski, Craig L Dyer 4320 N. Miller Road #F, Scottsdale, AZ 810 S. Ash, Tempe, AZ (480) 858-9447 Advertising: Catherine Book Screening Room 13 Proof Readers: Catherine Book, Bob 85251 (480)990-8380 Atomic Comics Gamers Corner 14 LaPierre & Gary Swaty Book Gallery 1120 S. Country Club, Ste. 105, Mesa, AZ Musty Tomes 16 Reporters: Craig L Dyer, Jeffrey Lu 3643 E. Indian School Rd, Phoenix AZ 85210 (480) 649-0807 In Our Book (Book Reviews) 17 Staff Writers: Pam Allen, Nadine 85018 (602)468-0400 Armstrong, Stephanie L Bannon, Catherine 4537 E. Cactus, Phoenix AZ 85032 CASFS Business Report 23 Book, Shane Bryner, Craig L. Dyer, M.L. 50 W. Main St, Mesa, AZ 85201 (602) 923-0733 Fringe, Michael Griffin, Bob LaPierre, (480) 835-0757 10215 N. 28th Dr, #A1, Phoenix, AZ 85051 Special Features Randy Lindsey, Jeffrey Lu, Christina Book Krazy Paige, Shane Shellenbarger, Gary Swaty, (602)395-1066 An Interview with Melaine Rawn Tom Tuerff, Lee Whiteside, Randall 1601E Bell #4-5, Phoenix , AZ 85022 3155 W. Chandler Blvd #5, Chandler AZ by Catherine Book 1 Whitlock (602)867-1018 85226 (480)940-6061 Leo Laporte and his Empire of the Net Contributors: Book Rack Drawn to Comics Layout & Design: Stephanie L. Bannon by Shane Shellenbarger 12 Keeper of the Mailing List: Craig L. Dyer 3539 W. Bell Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85053 5757 W. 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Page 2 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 best new series debut since Eureka) and Solace. They will also launch a new SF Tube Talk has continued to do well in the ratings for 24 Frames comic in January through IDW Publishing TV News & Previews SciFi on Friday nights. There will be three that will be a prequel to the new episodes over the first three Fridays Movie News movie, giving the backstory of the By Lee Whiteside in December including a mini-marathon By Lee Whiteside Romulan Nero played by Eric Bana in on December 19th and it is expected to the movie. This time we’ve got news on the final Paramount has finally started the episodes of , the continue airing on Friday nights, pairing J. Michael Straczynski will be taking up with Battlestar Galactica once promotion for the new Star Trek movie, on a new project, writing a screenplay for beginning of the end of Battlestar releasing multiple images of the cast in Galactica, the debut of Camelotville (i.e. Stargate Atlantis ends. There’s very little a remake of Forbidden Planet. Joel advanced information on upcoming mid-October and releasing a trailer with Silver will produce with David Twohy Merlin) on NBC, and of The Next Doctor the new James Bond movie, Quantum of (in more ways than one). episodes, however, so expect to see more ( Cont’d on page 6) First up, on SciFi, are the final encounters with new episodes of Stargate Atlantis, which is creatures as Dr. ending after five seasons before Magnus and her team graduating to occasional TV movies. The keep working at first two weeks of December will see providing Infection, where the Atlantis team for them. investigate an apparently abandoned Returning to SciFi Wraith vessel that shows up near their on Jan 16th is base, and Identity where a female alience Battlestar Galactica conciousness named Neeva takes over Dr. for the back half of its Keller’s body in order to try to acquire fourth and final advanced technology and Dr. Keller is season which will trapped in Neeva’s body on another world conclude on March and must fight to survive there until she 20th with a multi- can be back in her own body. After a hour finale (two break for the holidays, Atlantis returns in hours most likely). early January with the penultimate Prior to the return of episode Vegas, in which we get an the series on the SciFi alternate universe story where John Channel, look for Sheppard is a detective some webisodes to investigating a string of murders that leads turn up online at him to a Wraith disguising himself as a www.scifi.com which human. Ending the regular series will be will give viewers Enemy at the Gate which will see a return some background of Samantha Carter (Amanda Tapping) leading up to the in an episode that promises “intergalactic return of the series. In fun” and some resolutions of outstanding the first new episode, story threads. According to executive Sometimes a Great producer Brad Wright there is no Notion, the humans “fingers dangling on the edge of a cliff” and the Cylons deal type ending, but more of a “what now?” with their shocking ending. As with Stargate SG-1, MGM discovery of Earth plans to continue the Atlantis storyline in being a wasteland and direct-to-DVD movies, the first of which start trying to find is expected to air on SciFi later in 2009. some answers as to In other SciFi related Stargate news, why and how it ties SciFi has bought the rights to air the two into their past. Next Stargate SG-1 movies, The Ark of Truth up is A Disquiet and Continuum, and is expected to air Follows My Soul them in spring 2009. As for the new where the horrible Stargate series, , living conditions on production is on track for a Summer 2009 Earth start to take debut, with the pilot script nearly finalized their toll and and casting underway. Casting sides infighting as to indicate that the main character of the whether to leave the series will be a 40’s male like the Jack place they had been O’Neill of ten years ago. Other planned searching for. January characters include a mid-20’s female field ends with The Oath, medic, a 20ish party girl who is the of which little is daughter of a U.S. Senator, a mid-20’s known other than the male slacker/genius, and mid-20’s junior title. Reports are that SGC team member (officer material but the Six in Baltar’s very green) and a 20-year-old male head does make a marine who has a temper problem in non- return appearance at combat situations. Expect to see some this time in the series, casting announcements early in the new coming across as year as they prepare for filming in more angelic as February. opposed to the sexy Continuing on will be Sanctuary, manipulator seen which debuted strongly in October (the ( Cont’d on page 4 ) Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 3 SF Tube Talk ( Cont’d from page 3 ) discovered a walled-off ancient Aztec city of the Arthurian legend much like was incarnations of as a young guarded by evil spirits and a “great flying done with in , and it man, the life of before he previously. serpent of death”. Susan Jordan (Shannen really shows. We meet the young Merlin became doesn’t apparently lend The final episode of the final season Doherty), the daughter of the expeditions (Colin Morgan) as he arrives in Camelot itself to a large amount of story ideas. won’t be the last we will see of the leader, puts together a team (including to meet up with Camelot’s court Obviously, they will have to do a lot of Galactica universe, though. Filming has Michael Shanks as Jacob Thain) to physician, Gaius (Richard Wilson), who rejiggering of the /Robin mythos already been completed on a two-hour rescue her father and his cohorts from the takes Merlin on as an apprentice. In this to turn it into a weekly series. movie tentatively titled The Plan, that will ancient Aztec warriors and their serpent Camelot, King Uther (Anthony Stewart Supernatural is expected to return with span events over the first two seasons and god. Head) has banned the use of magic and new episodes in January as well, but so will focus on Tyrol, Cavil, and Anders On the broadcast networks, the new Gaius warns Merlin he must not use his far there’s not really any information on with the majority of the regular cast also fall season has been a mixed bag, with magic. Merlin immediately gets on the where things are headed with the appearing. Edward James Olmos is most returning shows being down in the wrong side of things by insulting Prince Winchester brothers. directing and has indicated that the movie ratings from last year. However, with Arthur (Bradley James) and gets to FOX has given Terminator: The deals primarily with the Cylons and how almost everyone being down, lower spend some time in the stocks, where he Sarah Connor Chronicles a full season they handled dealing with the survivors of ratings do not necessarily mean getting meets the maid Gwen (Angel Coulby). order of 22 episodes. While the ratings the original devastating attack and how cancelled and several shows that in past After being released to the care of Gaius, have been lower than its debut run, they that altered their “Plan.” It is expected to years might not have survived have ended Merlin is drawn to the dungeon of have been fairly consistent. Where FOX air sometime after the end of the series up with full season orders. Camelot and discovers the Great Dragon will place the series after the first of the run on SciFi. As for the Galactica prequel NBC has the highest number of genre (voice by John Hurt), who advises year is unknown, however, and with the series, , Scifci has not yet shows on the air and so far none of them Merlin that his destiny is to protect Prince return of 24 and American Idol, there will indicated when it is planning to air the have been spectacular standouts. Arthur. When Merlin ends up saving be fewer time slots. Their other new genre pilot movie and if they are going to give a Returning shows Heroes and Chuck are Arthur’s life from an attack by a series, Dollhouse, from Joss Whedon and green light for a weekly series. They have both down compared to last fall but have revengeful sorceress (as well as everyone starring Eliza Dushku, has had some been very quiet of late on the subject of been holding steady in the ratings. NBC else’s), he’s tasked with being Arthur’s retooling done which includes scrapping the spinoff series. gave Chuck a full season order even servant; much to both boys’ chagrin. In the pilot episode. According to Joss Elsewhere on SciFi, their reality before the season started and so far the Valiant, an arrogant Knight, Valiant, Whedon in a statement at lineup led by Ghost Hunters has been series has lived up to expectations for the arranges for a to make him a www.whedonesque.com :”yes, we’ve had doing very well. Continuing on in series, but its not been drawing any new magic with deadly snakes to enable to make adjustments. Yes, it’s been hard December will be new episodes of Ghost viewers to the show. Heroes has been him to win a sword tournament. When and I’ve been depressing to be around for Hunters as well as new episodes of down from last season’s ratings and has Merlin discovers the shield, he must find a awhile. Basically, the Network and I had Cha$e and . Scifi has been getting a lot of press on how the way to protect Arthur and stop Valiant. In different ideas about what the tone of the announced a pilot for another spinoff of show can be fixed or saved. The The Mark of Nimueh, Michelle Ryan show would be. They bought something Ghost Hunters called Ghost Hunters: somewhat confusing time tripping going joins the cast as the evil sorceress Nimueh somewhat different than what I was College Edition which will focus on a on with the Villains arc has not drawn in that sets a plague upon Camelot that is selling them, which is not that uncommon group of college students taking part in much of the general audience but it has blamed on Gwen. Merlin must fight in this business.” Whedon also added that investigations. They have announced a picked up steam as it has gone along and obstacles set upon him by Nimueh to stop , “we as a staff have gone from blinking series pickup for , which will be building to a big climax in the last the plague and clear Gwen’s name before like unhoused moles to delving in with the stars Eddie McClintock and Joanne three episodes of the arc, The Eclipse Part she is executed for witchcraft. same relish we had when we started. The Kelley as a pair of Secret Service agents 2, Our Father, and War, in the first three On the CW, both Smallville and show is really coming together now, in a transferred to Warehouse 13, a secret Mondays in December. Not much is Supernatural have been consistent in the way that I believe excites us and satisfies storage facility in South Dakota which known about these episodes, but expect ratings, giving the network a stable night the Network. Of course, I have no idea if houses all of the supernatural, paranormal, things to get resolved for the most part in where they’ve been having problems on anybody else will like it, but I have the extraterrestrial, or just strange artifacts regards to the two factions of the Petrelli other nights. After the big fall finale same faith in the staff, the crew and the collected by the U.S. Government. Saul family that want to control the destiny of episode in November, Smallville will remarkable cast that I always did. More, Rubinek also stars as ’s caretaker, the world. Heroes will then go on a hiatus return sometime in January with the in fact. Nothing essential has changed Artie, who tasks the duo to track down until early next year when it will resume episode Legion. As the title might suggest, about the universe.” It appears that the and investigate new objects as well as with the next arc, titled “Fugitives.” NBC we will be introduced to the Smallville changes have likely made the show better keep things under control with the has also given a full series order for version of the Legion of Superheroes with and when it does finally get to air existing objects already in the warehouse. Knight Rider, which has had consistent Geoff Johns writing the episode. sometime in the spring, it may live up to Expect to see the series debut next ratings on Wednesday. As of press time, Appearing from the future with be Garth the high expectations fans had to start summer. there’s no indication on how the future (Lightning Lad), Irma () and with. Coming up on SciFi in the movie looks for My Own Worst Enemy and Rokk () who will be helping CBS has the big hit of the new season department in December are (Dec Crusoe, neither of which has had great Clark to free Chloe from Braniac. in The Mentalist, which has done quite 6th), starring Eric Roberts as corrupt ratings, however Crusoe has done well According to Johns, we will also see a well in the overall ratings and holding on Emperor Tiberius who forces his best enough to knock out its CBS competition, well-known Legion villain in the episode. to a sizable portion of its lead-in, NCIS. general Marcus (Kevin Stapleton) to The Ex List, which has been pulled after After that, is Bulletproof where Clark goes Although it doesn’t really have any genre subdue the monstrous Cyclops that has four episodes. undercover as a cop to investigate a elements, it does make use of Patrick been devastating the countryside. Come January, NBC is expected to shooting of Detective John Jones. New Jane’s former life as a fake psychic for However, after capturing the Cyclops, bring back Medium on Sunday nights as guest characters from the comics rumored plot purposes and does have an ongoing Marcus is forced to fight in the gladiator well as the new series Merlin, which is a to appear include Dr. Emil Hamilton and serial killer plot. Eleventh Hour, the games and he eventually joins forces with co-production with the BBC. Merlin has Detective Dan Turpin. The CW has given Jerry Bruckheimer remake of a UK the Cyclops and the beautiful barbarian debuted strong for the BBC on Saturday the go ahead to develop a pilot for a series series, has done OK ratings so far, but is Barbara (Frida Farrell) in an effort to nights and has held on to its audience, taking on the Batman mythos, titled The still struggling to hold onto more than defeat Tiberius. Sunday night, December making it look like the BBC has a new Graysons, which would delve into Dick 60% of its CSI lead-in. CBS appears to be 14th, sees the debut of Sharks in Venice. ongoing series to join with Robin Hood Grayson and his family before he became willing to be patient with the show and It stars Stephen Baldwin and involves and . How it will fare on Robin. Smallville producers Brian keep it on the air for now. killer sharks in the Venice waterways, a NBC is yet to be determined, however. Peterson and Kelly Souders are ABC’s American take on Life on lost treasure of the Medici, and a Mafia The opening episode, Dragon’s Call, developing it with producer McG. They Mars debuted with decent numbers but plot to find the treasure. Lost Treasure of introduces us to this version of the haven’t yet indicated how they will be has continued to lose viewers in each the Grand Canyon (Dec 20) sets the Arthurian legend, best dubbed changing around the Robin part of the subsequent airing. By the time this issue action in Arizona’s Grand Canyon where Camelotville. In fact, the producers have Batman family to make it a series. Unlike hits print, it may be gone. But as we’ve a team of Smithsonian researchers indicated they wanted to do a reimagining Superman, which has had various ( Cont’d on page 6 ) Page 4 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 5 SF Tube Talk ( Cont’d from page 4 ) London bookmakers placing odds on the dropping Terrence Howard from the On the remake front, Marcus Nispel rumored candidates. These include David role. According to Marvel, 2 is directing a remake and reboot of Friday seen with other shows this season, if it Morrisey (based on his role in The Next will be released in May 2010 and The the 13th with Derek Mears as Jason stabilizes, ABC may stick with it for the Doctor?), Patterson Joseph (the first , which will bring together Iron Voorhees, Jared Padalecki as Clay and time being or at least through the initial 13 Black Doctor?), James McAvoy Man, , , the Amanda Righetti as Whitney. It opens on episodes. (probably too big a name with several and others, will hit the screens in July Friday, February 13th, 2009. Coming up on the BBC in the UK is movies under his belt), James Nesbitt 2011. No news as of yet who will play Tim Burton is at work on a live the new Doctor Who Christmas special, (who starred in Steven Moffat’s Jekyll Thor, although Daniel Craig was offered action/performance capture adaptation of The Next Doctor, airing on the BBC on series), Catherine Tate (bringing back the role but he turned it down feeling that in Wonderland, scheduled for 2010. Christmas Day. It is set on Christmas Eve the DoctorDonna?) and Sean Pertwee James Bond was enough. Christopher Lee has joined the cast in an in 1951 and features the return of the (Jon Pertwee’s son who has indicated In other Marvel movie news, Spider- undisclosed role while Alan Rickman Cybermen. Guest starring is David he’d love to take on the role). There’s Man 4 is moving ahead with Tobey will play the hookah-smoking caterpillar. Morrisey as a character who goes by the been no indication from the BBC how Maguire back as Peter Parker and Mia Wasikowska is Alice, Johnny Depp name of The Doctor. Velile Tshabalala soon they will cast the role and it may be Kirsten Dunst is expected to return as is the Mad Hatter, Anne Hathaway is the also guests as Rosita, an East Londoner awhile before there is any sort of Mary Jane with directing. White Queen, Helena Bonham Carter is that is a companion to the other Doctor announcement from the new production Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David the Red Queen, Crispin Glover is the but starts helping out Tennant’s Doctor. team. Lindsay-Abaire is in negotiations to Knave of Hearts, and Matt Lucas will After that will be four more specials, one The Cartoon Network has had a really write a screenplay, possibly dumping a play Tweedledee and Tweedledum. at Easter 2009, with three more reportedly big success with Star Wars: The Clone draft already written by James Ben Stiller is reprising his role as airing around Christmas 2009 with the last Wars, giving the channel some of its Vanderbilt. security guard Larry Daley in Night at the one either around or on New Years. highest ratings ever. Look for it to Sam Mendes is going to direct a film Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian, There’re lots of rumors about the subject continue for a good while on the Cartoon adaptation of the comic series Preacher, which is slated to hit theatres next May. matter for these specials, none of it Network. In mid-November, it was joined created by Garth Ennis and artist Steve Stiller is also developing Heat and confirmed by the BBC or anyone official. by Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Dillon. It is about a preacher in a Texas Jack for a feature film. It was a failed TV The big Doctor Who news that is which features Batman teamed up with a Town who embarks on a journey across Pilot he directed a few years back that has official is that David Tennant will step different DC superhero each week. The the country when an otherworldly force gotten noticed thanks to people posting it down as The Doctor at the end of the series harkens back a bit to the 60’s live decimates the town. on YouTube. It’s about an astronaut who specials, leading to a new Doctor with the action Batman in tone and is definitely In the novel adaption front, we’ve got got too close to the sun and becomes the start of the fifth season in 2010. Tennant geared towards a younger audience. a few new ones in development. Diana smartest person in the world when the sun announced his departure live on television Expect to see lots of heroes on the show Gabaldon’s Outlander is in development is up and his teaming up with a friend when he accepted a best drama performer including , Plastic Man, for a movie from Essential Pictures, who was turned into a motorcycle. How award at the National Televison Awards , , which has a script by Randall Wallace much of that will change if the movie ceremony in October. In his statement, (recent variety), , and ready for a director. Terry Brooks has happens is unknown. Tennant said “I’ve had the most brilliant, as well as a variety of villains indicated that the Magic Kingdom For bewildering and life-changing time including , The Gentleman Sale: Sold! movie project may finally Upcoming Movies in December and working on Doctor Who. I have loved Ghost, , Black Manta, happen and development is also January every day of it. It would be very easy to Despero, Kite Man, and others. continuing on an Elfstones of Shannara We’ve got a few big movies in cling on to the TARDIS console forever movie as well. Columbia Pictures has December (but no Star Trek, which has and I fear that if I don’t take a deep breath 24 Frames (Cont’d from page 3) picked up a spec script by Alex Sabeti been moved back to May) and come and make the decision to move on now, adapting Katherine Kurtz’s Deryni January, we’ve got the usual batch of then I simply never will. You would be directing. The remake has been bouncing around in development hell for several Rising. Fox 2000 has acquired the rights horror movies that always seem to turn up prying the TARDIS out of my cold to Joe Haldeman’s The Forever War and early in the year, not having been good or dead hand. This show has been so special years but this time it might just happen. According to Straczynski, “Joe the Ridley Scott is in line to direct it. He had ready enough for an October release it to me, I don’t want to outstay my originally wanted to do the movie back in seems. welcome. This is all a long way off, of Fanboy has been chasing this one assignment for over a decade.” the 1980’s, but rights issues kept it from Punisher: War Zone (Dec 5) Frank Castle course. I’m not quitting, I’m back in him. (aka The Punisher) is back, this time Cardiff in January to film four special Straczynski is also adapting E.E. Doc episodes which will take Doctor Who all Smith’s Lensman novels for film as well. (Cont’d on page 7) the way through 2009. I’m still the Doctor Marvel has all next year but when the time finally officially comes I’ll be honoured to hand on the announced that best job in the world to the next lucky git Robert Downey, - whoever that may be.” Jr. will reprise Tennant further added “I’d always his role as Tony thought the time to leave would be in Stark in The conjunction with Russell T Davies and Avengers and Julie Gardner who have been such a Iron Man 2. Jon huge part of it all for me. Steven Moffat Favreau will is the most brilliant and exciting writer, direct Iron Man the only possible successor to Russell and 2 and executive it was sorely tempting to be part of his produce The amazing new plans for the show. I will be Avengers. there, glued to my TV when his stories Marvel also begin in 2010. I feel very privileged to confirmed that have been part of this incredible Don Cheadle phenomenon, and whilst I’m looking will take on the forward to new challenges I know I’ll role of Col. always be very proud to be the Tenth James “Rhodey” Doctor.” Rhodes in Iron As of press time at the end of October, Man 2 and The various candidates were rumored for the Avengers, next actor to play the iconic role, with Page 6 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 24 Frames ( Cont’d from page 6 ) fighter. Samuel L. Jackson stars as the wife, Theresa (Sienna Guillory) into the Melanie Rawn (Cont’d from page 1) Octopus, who kills anyone who sees his book Inkheart. Meggie (Eliza Bennett), It was a Regency Romance and she didn’t played by Ray Stevenson. After face, wants to destroy Central City, and now twelve, is kidnapped by Capricorn want that type of story confused with any punishing mob boss Billy Russoti The Spirit sets out to stop him. From the (Andy Serkis), who wants to use her as other types of stories she planned to write. (Dominic West), leaving him disfigured, trailers and reports on screenings, expect bait to capture her father in order to make I asked why she didn’t write more – there Russoti takes on the alias of Jigsaw and something more along the lines of Sin use of his “gift”. Underworld: Rise of the were a couple more stories but right after puts together a Punisher Task Force to get City than the original comic. Lycans (Jan 23) This prequel to that she started the Dragon Prince series. revenge on Castle. The Unborn (Jan 9) Surprisingly, not a Underworld traces the origins of the And she recalled exactly how it started… The Day The Earth Stood Still (Dec 9) remake of the 1981 movie of the same blood feud between the vampires and the She’d been reading a non-fiction book Will this be another case of a remake of a name, but a new movie starring Odette Lycans. Michael Sheen stars as Lucien, a titled “The Kingdom: Arabia and the classic movie that didn’t need a remake or Yustman as Casey Bell, who is powerful leader of the Lycans that House of Saud” and the book had a will it be good enough to stand on its by a dybbuk (the soul of a dead person emerges in the Dark Ages rising up description of Arabian princes in flowing own? It stars Keanu Reeves as Klaatu, barred from heaven) that is trying to against Viktor (Bill Nighy). Also starring robes going out hawking – in jeeps - Jennifer Connelly as Helen Benson, Jon possess her. Also stars Gary Oldman as is Rhona Mitra as Sonja, Lucien’s secret which intrigued her. A short time later she had five chapters. Hamm as Dr. Granier, John Cleese as Dr. Rabbi Sendak with a screenplay by lover. She once wrote a Quantum Leap story director David S. Goyer. The Uninvited (Jan 30) This is a remake Barnhardt and Aaron Douglas as Sgt. which I just had to ask her about. She Winter. The Alien Klaatu brings aa My Bloody Valentine 3-D (Jan 16) is a of the 2003 South Korean film A Tale of told me she just loved that series and, of message of “live in peace or die” is still remake (it appears) and it’s in 3-D! It’s ten Two Sisters in which Anna (Emily course, Scott Bakula (be still my heart, the main plot, just likely couched in more years after the Valentine’s night massacre Browning), who has returned home from she said). She started doodling a modern terminology than the original. and when Tom (Jensen Ackles) returns to a hospital stay after the tragic death of her ‘treatment’ for a Quantum Leap episode. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button his hometown, he finds himself suspected mother, is visited by the ghost of her She was living in Pasadena at the time, a (Dec 19) Adapted from the story by F. of committing them. I’m betting there’s mother who warns her that Rachel, her perfect place to be to sell a TV series Scott Fitzgerald published in the 1920s, some new murders happening as well, mother’s nurse who is now engaged to her episode. But they cancelled the show the movie tells the story of Benjamin otherwise, what’s the point? Also stars father (David Strathairn), is not what she before she could screw up her courage to Button, who ages backwards from 80 Jamie King as Sarah Palmer. seems. Anna and her sister Alex (Arielle ask for a pitch meeting at the studio. years old starting in 1918 New Orleans Inkheart (Jan 23) Based on the 2003 Kebbel) must fight to save their father in Instead, she called her agent and asked and into the early 21st Century;. David novel by Cornelia Funke, the film has a battle of wills with their soon-to-be her to show it to Ginjer Buchanan at Ace. Fincher directs with Brad Pitt as been pushed back a couple of times from stepmother. Happily, Ginjer said she’d love to have Melanie do a novel…so long as it wasn’t Benjamin, Cate Blanchett as Daisy, and an originally planned late 2007 release. five thousand pages! She was able to go Brendan Fraser stars as Mortimer Tilda Swinton as Elizabeth Abbott. to a Quantum Leap convention in Pasa- The Spirit (Dec 25) Frank Miller’s take Flochart, who has the ability to make dena and met Scott Bakula in the Green on Will Eisner’s The Spirit stars Gabriel characters from a book come alive when Room. He was a lot taller than Melanie Macht as Denny Colt, who takes on the he reads from it. When he discovered his had believed him to be. She is 5’8” and moniker of The Spirit after faking his power when reading to his infant was wearing 4” heels and he was still a bit death and becoming a mysterious crime daughter, Meggie, he accidentally read his (Cont’d on page 8)

Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 7 Melanie Rawn (Cont’d from page 7) Anyone who’s looked at Melanie’s sixth paper on mythic algebra will be out and ingenuity. bibliography might notice a large gap of in 2010. Look for them in your university Tickets will go on sale Saturday, taller than her. (Be still, my heart!) She about nine years in her bibliography. brought the cover of her novel and library. November 8th for Center members and She’s suffered from clinical depression for Saturday, November 15th for the public at showed it to him. His comment was most of her life but did have a very bad “Why am I wearing chainmail?” (It’s a ‘STAR TREK® THE EXHIBITION’ azscience.org and the Admissions Counter period starting in the late 90’s. She’s BEAMS INTO ARIZONA SCIENCE at Arizona Science Center. story about Sam leaping into a Medieval currently feeling much better under CENTER Highlights of STAR TREK THE tournament – like SCA.) medication and is back to writing – which NOVEMBER 16th EXHIBITION include: She’s currently working on a sequel to she believes is the reason she’s on this Spellbinder. Fire Raiser is the title and Earth taking up space. However, she was • Once in a lifetime opportunity to due to publish in April 2009 from Tor. quick to point out that if anyone out there Interactive exhibit lets visitors explore become part of the Enterprise crew and She had a big party scene in her mind and is hoping for another Melanie Rawn story the ‘Star Trek’ universe hands-on with stand on the Bridge of the Starship when she wrote it she was surprised at such as the books she published years ago attractions, sets, costumes and props from Enterprise D. This immersive experience some of the characters who showed up. – well… they’re just out of luck. You see, all 5 TV series and 10 feature films puts you in the legendary command center Melanie talked about how her books the Melanie Rawn who wrote those stories Phoenix, AZ – Oct. x, 2008 – Premier seen in every episode of Star Trek: The evolve. Sometimes, she says, she knows isn’t around anymore. Of course, that Exhibitions, Inc. announced today that Next Generation. You can even sit in the end and just writes her way to it. could apply to just about any writer – we STAR TREK THE EXHIBITION will open Jean-Luc Picard’s Captain’s Chair. Other times, she might just have bits and all age, she pointed out, none of us are the th pieces and has to string them together. November 16 in Phoenix. Opening for a • A full-scale replica of the Sickbay from same as we were. She’s described it in limited engagement at Arizona Science Star Trek: The Next Generation. The Her editor once commented that her her books and she’s received messages on written voice changes from book to book; Center, this 12,500 square foot touring Ship’s Sickbay was the setting for many her website from people saying thank-you exhibition contains the world’s most of the show’s most important scenes, she says it’s because of the material. to her for bringing it out in the open. comprehensive collection of authentic where Dr. Beverly Crusher served as the Some of her stories require a particular Some of them said they had thought they Star Trek ships, re-creations, sets, Ship’s Chief Medical Officer. voice or point of view and a different were alone until they discovered that a series requires a different approach from successful author could be suffering the costumes and props from all 5 series and • Ride through the Galaxy in a full-motion her. same. She was somewhat amused at some 10 films over the last 40+ years. flight simulator. I asked her from where her literary fans’ reactions to her withdrawal from This unparalleled experience enables • Recreations of the Transporter Room. influences came. She was reluctant to publishing – some of them thought she’d the public to step inside the Star Trek • Walk through The History of the Future name names. As she explained, if they’re died. world and become active participants in which timelines the entire Star Trek saga still living and she leaves off someone’s Melanie is planning to move just as the legacy that has captivated our and places each series and film into its name…well, you understand… Okay… soon as her house sells; ‘course in this imagination for generations. Whether it is historical perspective from the present- then how about genres? Which ones market that could be a while... She sitting one of the U.S.S. Enterprise day International Space Station and influenced her most? Mostly mysteries, related that her life tends to dramatically she answered. Then how did she get into bridges or traveling through space on NASA’s return to the Moon through the change every ten to thirteen years; it’s motion simulators, STAR TREK THE future voyages of captains Archer, Kirk, speculative fiction/fantasy? Why not time for another change. Should be write mysteries? Well… with mysteries EXHIBITION fully immerses visitor in the Picard, Sisko, and Janeway. interesting to see in what direction this legendary journey that has become “STAR TREK THE EXHIBITION is you have to have it worked out from the change will send Melanie. Having just synonymous with scientific innovation first so you know the end. And, don’t you met her, I think I already miss her. know, that bores her. Melanie says she ( Cont’d on page 9 ) writes for herself as much as the fans; so fantasy writing entertains her while she’s working out the ending. FYI How about those fans? Melanie says CASFS Book Discussion she has the nicest fans in the world. She thinks the neatest thing about them is that Bent Cover Books they help each other and talk to each other 12428 N. 28th Drive, Phoenix online all the time. 3rd Tuesdays, 7pm, in the Coffee Bar Back to her current work: What ever Sponsored by Central Arizona happened to the title “The Captal’s Speculative Fiction Society (CASFS) Tower?” (That is the correct spelling, BTW, despite what I found on a couple email questions to [email protected] websites) Melanie can’t say right now – no plans. What about “The Diviner” due We are a small, friendly group of science out in Nov 2009 according to one fiction/fantasy literature fans who like to website? She confessed it’s only about get together to talk about our favorite two-thirds written and she won’t, darn books. We welcome potential new her, tell me a thing about it. We’ll have to friends. wait for news of that one. Her future December 16 - Roll Your Own includes finishing the current contract for Think of a book you’ve read and enjoyed the three Spellbinder books. She’s very in the past year or so that we haven’t happy with cast she has created; as she discussed yet. Share your thoughts with puts it – she can take them just about the rest of the group. This will provide anywhere. The second book includes some possibilities for next year’s book human cloning, the nature of marriage, list. human trafficking, and even contempo- rary politics. The third one will look into hexencraft; a fascinating tradition of CASFS MEMBER MAKES GOOD witchcraft from Pennsylvania that she AGAIN, V.2 thinks maybe no one else has used. And, unfortunately, the Minoan-subject book, Michael Griffin (not the NASA guy) has titled Keftiu, was part of a contract with his fifth academic paper out in the new Avon that Melanie had to let go. So, it issue of the journal Semiotica, vol. 171, will be a while, if ever, before we see that 2008. The title describes it: ‘Looking story either. Which is a terrible shame behind the symbol: Mythic algebra, since Keftiu is Melanie’s ‘dream book’ – numbers, and the illusion of linear the book that she believes is the book she sequence.’ It also has speculation on the was put on this Earth to write. prehistoric origins of mathematics. The Page 8 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 Conland Press SCIENCE EVENTS Fridays, 2pm FYI ( Cont’d from page 8 ) “Strange Roads” chapbook by Peter Stargazing. Starlab Planetarium. Check the ultimate voyage through a legendary Beagle. Autographed (companion book to ASU website for dates and times piece of iconic history giving visitors a Strange Birds by Gene Wolfe) Science lectures and news: http:// The Space Place is a 2-hour interactive first hand look at the scientific endeavors asunews.asu.edu/news/science program for little ones with big of the Enterprise crew” states Chevy PS Publishing imaginations Designed for children ages Humphrey, President and CEO of Arizona “Revolvo” by Steve Erikson ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER 3 through 6, the program features age- Science Center. “We hope that this will “The Hiss of Escaping Air” by New exhibit: Star Trek, opened Nov 16th appropriate activities designed to teach inspire the next generation to explore The new Dorrance Planetarium is now preschoolers about our planet and solar careers in science, technology, open. system. Call for reservations. 3rd engineering and mathematics and Subterranean Press Materials Science Workshops Mondays, 930am-1130am motivate everyone to boldly go where no “Agent to the Stars” by John Scalzi These workshops provide fun hands-on The Space Place: Martian Madness , one has gone before.” “The Remains” by Richard Morgan experiences to help participants Dec 8-9, 930am-1130am STAR TREK THE EXHIBITION is “A is for Alien” by Caitlin R. Kiernan understand how materials scientists ASU Meteorite Exhibit produced by Premier Exhibitions Inc. “The Six Directions of Space” by Alastair manipulate the properties of various Columbia Shuttle Memorial Display (NASDAQ: PRXI). ® & © 2008 CBS Reynolds materials to create the products that we Iridium Satellite Model Studios Inc. All rights reserved. STAR use in our everyday life. Lowell Observatory Display TREK and related marks are trademarks Wyrm Publishing Check website for dates and topics Journey Thru the Space Program of CBS Studios Inc. “Toast” by Charles Stross “Tides from the New Worlds” by Tobias BEYOND ASU MOON SOCIETY MEETING CASFS DONATES TICKETS Buckell Origins Symposium “A Brief History of 3 PM at orders Book Store, 1361 S. Alma Time”, Stephen Hawking, Richard School Rd. (Alma School and Southern) The Central Arizona Speculative Fiction GAMING EVENTS Dawkins, Briane Greene, Craig Venter, Mesa. . For more info contact Craig Society (CASFS) has acquired ten tickets Steven Pinker, April 6 Porterat [email protected] to the local Star Trek exhibit and will be BOOKMANS, MESA donating all tickets to the Children First Dungeons & Dragons Night. Mondays, CHALLENGER SPACE CENTER, PIMA AIR & SPACE MUSEUM, Academy, formerly known as the Thomas 6pm PEORIA TUCSON J. Pappas School. The Academy serves Family Fun Day, Dec 26, 9am-4pm Breakfast with Santa - December 6 - the educational needs of the homeless and DRAWN TO COMICS “Understanding the Nature of Light”, 9AM - 11AM - Have breakfast at the low-income children of our city. Heroclix. Tuesdays 4pm-7pm. Fridays, Pima Air & Space Museum and welcome 8pm-11pm. Saturdays, 3pm-6pm ( Cont’d on page 10) BOOK DISCUSSION GROUPS Star Wars Miniatures. Sundays, 1pm – 4pm Fantasy/Sci-Fi Discussion Group Sit-and-Sketch with local artists. 3rd 4th Wed, 7pm Saturday, 6pm-8pm Borders, Glendale Holiday Food Drive – store discounts with food donation Path of the Craft Discussion group discusses Neopagan theories inspired by GAME DEPOT both fiction and non-fiction books HeroClix & MechWarrior - Wednesdays, about magic, nature, mythology, and 530pm spirituality longest-running pagan book UFS - Thursdays 6pm-9pm group in Phoenix. -Jan 24, 6pm Magic, The Gathering - Thursdays, 6pm- Borders, Phoenix Camelback 9pm Monsterpocalypse. Wednedays, 5pm Manga Bookclub Pirates – collectible cardgame. Fridays, 1st Tuesdays, 7pm 5pm. Borders, Chandler IMPERIAL OUTPOST GAMES Manga Bookclub Federation Commander - 2nd Dec 20, 7pm Saturdays, noon Jan 17 , 7pm RPG - 1st & 3rd Sundays Barnes & Noble, Goodyear Boardgames & Demo Nite - Thursdays, 6pm SPECIAL BOOK RELEASES SAMURAI COMICS This listing is to introduce you to smaller (check website for correct store location) publishing houses that offer exclusive or Heroclix Tournament, Fridays, 6pm limited edition books that you wouldn’t Mechwarrior Tourney, Wednesdays, 6pm be able to find at your local chain Yugioh Tournament, Sundays, noon bookstore. Anime Club, Sundays, noon Borderlands Press Pokemon, Sundays, 2pm “The Hunger by Whitley Streiber, limited edition SPAZDOG COMICS “Black Wind” by F. Paul Wilson, signed, Comic Book Creators Club, Mondays, limited edition 6:30pm Cemetary Dance Publications Heroclix Tournaments, Fridays, 7pm “The Vampyricon Trilogy: The Definitive Pokemon League, Saturdays, 3pm Special edition” by Douglas Clegg, ltd MechWarrior, Saturdays, 6pm signed UFS, Sundays 1pm “Halloween: New Poems” by Al Sarrantonio Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 9 BORDERS AVONDALE ( Cont’d from page 9 ) FYI Metaphysical Wednesdays Discussion Santa to Tucson. Santa will be giving the Wednesdays, 7pm reindeer some rest before Christmas so he will be arriving at the museum by BORDERS GLENDALE helicopter. Breakfast starts at 9:00 AM Metaphysical Mondays Discussion and Santa will arrive at 10:00 AM. Mondays, 7pm Seating will be limited so make your reservations soon. Adults: $30.00 LOFT THEATRE, TUCSON Children 10 and under: $25.00 Free tickets at Bookmans, Speedway & New Volunteer Orientation, Dec 13, Grant locations, Tucson 930am “Let the Right One In” Dec 5th Volunteer Presentation Series: Cruise “Azur and Asmar: the Princes’ Quest” Jan missiles during the Cold War, Dec 20, 30th 10am see website for complete listing Titan Missile Museum Tours. Reservations only ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW The only publicly accessible Titan II Showing each Saturday at Midnight. missile site in the nation. Tour the Chandler Cinemas, and Mutt follow the clues to Peru and underground missile site. See the 3-ton www.midnitemoviemamacita.com then to Brazil. Along the way they blast doors, 8’ thick silo walls and an Videophile encounter Marion Indy’s ex-fiancée from actual Titan II missile in the launch duct. TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS, Raiders, oh yeah she is Mutt’s mom. Indiana Jones and the Skull Visit the launch control center, experience March 13-15, 2009 Indy solves the rest of the clues and at University of Nightmare Before Xmas a simulated launch, and more. Evening Arizona in Tucson they save the world. The soviets get the tours to beat the heat:Tuesday, December Sydney White bad end they deserve. Everybody goes Here are the expected SF/F authors who The Fall 9, Friday, December 12.5pm-8pm will attend: home happy. Extras Emma Bull Indiana Jones and the SETI Institute’s Weekly They consist of the usual making of, Liz Danforth Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls stills, trailers, post production, special on Science Radio Program Charles deLint Starring: Harrison Ford, Kate Mondays, avail as props, pre-visualization sequences, and a Diana Gabaldon Blanchette, and Shia LaBeouf game. The game (Indiana Jones Legos) is http://radio.seti.org Father Andrew Greeley Director: only for the Xbox360. The pre- http://podcast.seti.org Running Time: 122 min visualization sequences are pretty neat, Rated: PG-13 for adventure violence Dennis McKiernan kind of like a “Clone Wars” style Indiana OTHER GENRE-RELATED EVENTS and scary images. Jones short. The Prop special and the Yvonne Navarro Lucas Film Weston Ochse Skull special both contain neat info on AdventureCon, NEW DATES!!! May how the props were made and gives an Well this was a very entertaining 30-31, 2009 University of Phoenix James Sallis interesting insight into how they chose movie. Disengage your brain, sit back, each item. Overall kind of fun. We’re Stadium, Glendale Will Shetterly and enjoy the ride. I have a problem with watching it over the holiday. Comic artists, dealers, costuming and Janni Lee Simner calling this an “Indiana Jones” movie. celebrities including Danielle Harris, Three and one half stars out of five stars. S.M. Stirling While there is always excitement, always - Bob LaPierre David Prowse, Kevin Sorbo, Neil Kaplan, Robert Vardeman thrills, always a tenacious villain, always James O’Barr, Arthur Suydam, John Vornholt intriguing legends even though sometimes The Nightmare Before Christmas MarkTexeira obscure, and there is also always at least Touchstone, 76 minutes, PG plausible www.adventurecon.com Check the web sites for confirmation, science. The last is where this DVD $32.99 Blu-Ray $39.99 falls down. I will explain this further on. location and more information. ARIZONA SCIENCE CENTER It’s nineteen fifty-seven and the movie This film has been a favorite in our starts with a kidnapped Indy being The house since it was first released. While Chronicles of Narnia, The Game Depot, 480-966-4727 brought to the warehouse that we last saw Exhibition, Opens Jun 7 http://www.azchallenger.org others may watch A Christmas Story each at the end of “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. holiday season, in our house the holiday http://www.barnesandnoble.com The object they want is highly magnetized movie is The Nightmare Before BOOKMANS, FLAGSTAFF http://www.bookmans.com so Indy uses the iron in the gunpowder Christmas. “The Polar Express” special event for http://www.borders.com from several grenades to find the case. He The new, remastered release is a must throws handfuls up and they follow the kids, drawing for tickets to The Polar http://www.browncoats.lagemann.org for everyone, whether one is new to the trail. Given the size of the warehouse and Express, Grand Canyon Railway http://www.cemeterydance.com experience or is a die-hard fan who has http://www.drawntocomics.com the limited potential for iron in grenades seen the film 100 times. Even without the http://www.imperialoutpost.com the power levels on the case must be off extras, this is worth every penny. The BOOKMANS, PHOENIX the scale. When they finally find it, the Arizona Browncoats Shindig. 1st http://www.library.pima.gov clarity is wonderful, the sound crystal pull while evident, is so mild as to be clear and the Tim Burton story as Saturday, 7pm http://www.novaspace.com/Spacefest/ negligible to the metal wearing, gun toting delightfully dark and humorous as ever. Scimitar-Talon is a group of people http://www.pimaair.org soviets. It doesn’t even stick to the jeep http://www.poisonedpen.com For those who are unfamiliar with the wanting to enjoy recreating portions of when it is hit by a truck. story, Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King http://www.samuraicomics.com the middle ages prior to 1600 AD. Classes Escaping the soviets is truly a case of of Halloween Town, longs to spread the on Medieval Arts and Sciences.. 1st http://www.seti.org out of the frying pan. He finds himself in joy of Christmas..... with a Tim Burton/ Saturdays, 130pm-230pm http://www.spazdogcomics.com/ a strange town with plastic people and no Halloween twist that is wonderfully water. Everybody say it… bomb Across Plus Anime Club. Sundays, 7pm http://www.subterraneanpress.com/ macabre. http://www.titanmissilemuseum.org/ testing. Indy survives by locking himself The extras are the icing on the cake - Bellydance lessons with Morgiana. in a refrigerator. As a result of this Sundays except the 1st Sun, 1pm http://www.wildsidepress.com/ from Christopher Lee reciting Tim http://wyrmpublishing.com/catalog/ encounter the FBI (this is during the Burton’s original poem, the short films “The Polar Express” special event for McCarthy era) makes his life hell and the kids, drawing for tickets to The Polar http://www.wildsidepress.com/ Vincent and Frankenweenie, a wonderful university puts him on extended leave. “making of” feature that goes behind the Express, Grand Canyon Railway While leaving on a train he is both scenes to show just how this stop action followed and found, the former obviously film was made. Highly recommended. - KGB, the latter “Mutt” (Shia). Mutt has a Stephanie L Bannon letter from his mother with a page from Indy’s friend with strange writing. Indy (Cont’d on page 11) Page 10 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 Dark Knight got cheers and whoops; The an Indian married to a beautiful squaw, Darwin has a pet monkey named Wallace Videophile (Cont’d from page 10) Fall, with gorgeous cinematography shot little Alexandria is visualizing the man that has all the good ideas Darwin takes Sydney White on location in 18 countries, got gasps of and his wife as Hindustani. Her favorite credit for; when Alexandria needs to go to Starring Amanda Bynes, Matt Long; astonishment and drawn out “Aaah!”s. hospital nurse, the fruit picker, the the bathroom, the fair heroine Evelyn written by Chad Gomez Creasey The Taj Mahal was just one setting. Singh man, Roy’s friends and enemies all people starts contorting her legs and hopping up (Pushing Daisies); dir. by Joe even wangled permission to film inside the story that Roy is telling as it unfolds in and down; and a distraught Roy resorts to Nussbaum the Hagia Sophia mosque in Isanbul! her mind. Even the ordinary world is full the logic of a five-year-old. Sony, 108 minutes, PG-13 The plot is simple. A young man who of frights and wonders for Alexandria; This is a movie to see when the veil DVD $19.99 was doing a stunt for a silent “flicker” and when Tarsem Singh and the Cray between worlds is thin, when you can crippled himself, and the damage may be Brothers are directing the visuals, you cross over to wonderland. You have never This 2007 modern retelling of Snow irreparable. He is recuperating in a enter her world, a Dante to her Virgil. seen anything like The Fall. – Chris White and the Seven Dwarves is now hospital where a five-year-old migrant In the midst of the glory and terror, Paige available on DVD with a good set of picker is also recovering from a fall; her there is humor as well. Bandit Charles extras, including deleted scenes that arm in a cast. When he genuinely contributed to the character learns that her name is development. Amanda Bynes plays Alexandria, he tells her Sydney, the daughter of a widowed one of the stories about plumber, who was raised in the company Alexander the Great. She of construction workers after her mother doesn’t think much of died. (I loved the scene where her father is her namesake, so the explaining the anatomy of puberty.) ironically named Roy Sydney, who is just heading off for her Walker promises to tell freshman year at college, dreams of her another story, one joining her mother’s sorority and making about bandits. What friendships that last a lifetime. But Rachel begins as a pastime to Witchburn, president of Kappa Phi Nu, beguile some moments who checks out her “Hot or Not” rating takes on a multi-layered on her computer every day, is jealous of life. Alexandria’s Sydney’s easy popularity with everyone, interruptions shape the including Tyler Price of Beta Omega; so narrative, and she she banishes Sydney from the sorority on introduces key pledge night. Sydney moves into the characters – including Vortex, a ramshackle student housing herself – into the overflow occupied by seven misfits, aka adventure. But when the dorks. They have the frozen Han Solo Roy figures out that he propped up against the wall, among other may never walk again, memorabilia, and they play poker for and that his fiancée has collectibles. These guys are great! Sydney abandoned him for the decides to challenge Rachel’s political leading man, he tricks stranglehold on the student council and Alexandria into stealing forms the Freedom to the Seventh Power morphine, so he can party, with the brainy Terrence/Doc as “sleep.” He refuses to contender, who wins over many of the continue the story unless jocks with his ability to predict game she does. (The R rating outcomes and out-drink the champ at a is for the suicide kegger. As the campaign gains attempt; there is no sex; momentum, wicked Witchburn resorts to most of the violence hacking and poisons Sydney’s Macintosh, happens at a remove, deleting her term paper the night before and what is shown is as the student council debate. The movie is stylized as a kabuki full of charming scenes, such as the performance.) Coyote serenade with a quartet Tyler arranges for must be Roy’s , Sydney in her carrel, or the interplay for not once, not twice, between the kindly Lenny/Sneezy and but three times his legacy pledge girl Dinky. All the actors efforts are thwarted. But are fine in their parts, including the it is Alexandria who superlative Danny Strong, who was the ransoms his life the third diminutive Jonathan on Buffy the Vampire time, with yet another Slayer and here plays Gurkin/Grumpy. He fall. She endures a should be cast as Miles Vorkosigan – and nightmare of pain and I was thinking this even before the scene terror, and Roy is where he goes over a wall with the ROTC shocked out of his guys. He’s got the looks, the height, and spiraling self-pity. the acting chops to bring Miles gloriously What makes this and painfully to life. Hellooo, any movie utterly unique is Hollywood agents paying attention? – how we see everything Chris Paige through Alexandria’s perceptions: the places, The Fall people, and events Starring: Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies), around her, the story of Catinca Untaru, Justine Waddell; the bandits’ quest for Tarsem Singh (The Cell) co-writer/ vengeance against director Governor Odious, her Sony, 117 minutes, R nightmare. It is her DVD $24.99 imagination and her partial comprehension of At the movie previews last LepreCon, adults that we are one trailer stood out from the welter. Sure, shown. When Roy there were must-see previews, describes one bandit as but this one was magic. Iron Man and The Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 11 his TechTV days, the original episodes Leo Laporte and his were entitled, Revenge of the Software community. If you’ve had a Screensavers. When he received a cease hankering to investigate junk food, the 48 Empire of the Net and desist from Comcast, the show was episodes of Munchcast with Cammy by Shane Shellenbarger temporarily renamed Return of the Blackstone and Laporte may provide (BEEP), with This Week in Geek sug- answers to the questions posed by your If you’ve heard of Leo Laporte, gested by a listener. The eventual name tummy. Inquiring minds can feed their you’re probably a computer geek or a became , aka as TWiT. needs by examining genome mapping, Day joke. When Comcast bought ZDTV, gadget hound. If you haven’t heard of Mr. Using plain old telephone or Voice over protein folding, and related genetics on TechTV was rolled into G4TV (a video Laporte, well, let’s just say you’re services such as , Laporte Futures in Biotech with Marc Pelletier gamers cable channel) and 285 employ- missing out on a wealth of information gathered a brain trust of friends/technol- and his guests. If breaking issues in ees of the -based company and entertainment. ogy experts and began to grow a network technology law interest you, check out were laid off. The final episode aired in Laporte first became enamored with of shows that now number at fifteen. the 18 episodes of This Week in Law with the United States on May 21st, 2004. technology while a student of Chinese This Week in Tech has reached episode Denise Howell, Colette Vogele, Ernie With canceled in the history at . He discovered #166 and the participants (often including Svenson, and John Palfrey. U.S., Laporte returned when Rogers the student-run radio station and devel- John C. Dvorak and ) The three remaining shows are The Communications licensed the show from oped a love and passion for mass commu- continue to discuss the tech news of , the collected 504 radio shows and production began in nications that continues to this day. week. MacBreak Weekly (with Alex in which Laporte discusses everything for G4TechTV Canada (debut on Spending more time at the radio station Lindsay, Andy Ihnatko, and Scott from cell phones to over-clocked comput- August 16, 2004) and Australia’s HOW and less time on his studies, Laporte Bourne) has reached #112 and Windows ers, basically everything with a chip in it. TO Channel (debut on March 7, 2005). dropped out of Yale in 1976, his junior Weekly (with ) has reached The Laporte Report is an incomplete Beginning on June 13th, 2006, episodes year. episode #81, each discussing the latest collection of Laporte’s appearances on became available for purchase on Google His employment in radio and televi- happenings inside and outside of Apple other , speeches, and radio Video. Concurrently, Laporte hosted a sion has him to New Haven, and . Security Expert, Steve shows. Radio Leo is the whole magilla, a three-hour technology radio on Saturdays Connecticut and Monterey, San Jose, San Gibson, discusses with Laporte the feed for every one of Laporte’s shows. and Sundays for the Los Angeles station, Francisco, Los Angeles in the United internet spam and spyware issues of the His shows are found at http://twit.tv and KFI AM 640. Today, his show is carried States as well as Toronto and day on , currently at episode iTunes http://www.apple.com/itunes/. nationally on XM satellite radio Ch.158 in Canada. He’s been a D.J. and talk #168.In this ever-changing-digital-age in With his broad knowledge base, and is syndicated on Premiere Radio show host on subjects as varied as real which we live, the 70 episodes of affable nature, and enthusiasm for Networks. When Call for Help was estate, gardening, money, cars, and home Jumping Monkeys with Laporte and conversation, Leo Laporte makes an produced in Toronto, Laporte’s original improvement. As part of his right-of- Megan Morrone provide answers, tips, engaging interviewer and host. With over co-hosts were Andy Walker and Monica passage, Laporte was one of hundreds of and tricks on successfully stewarding twenty-five hours of audio and nearly Litonjua. In September 2004, Litonjua radio hosts who were pushed aside by the children through adolescence into forty hours of video available each week, left and was replaced by Amber introduction of Rush Limbaugh to adulthood. On net@Nite, Laporte and Leo Laporte is a media mogul you can MacArthur. On August 31, 2005, Andy national radio listeners on August 1, Amber MacArthur (his co-host from the grow to love, or at least listen to. Walker left over a pay cut in his contract 1988. This was a pivotal point in Canadian version of Call for Help), use http://leoville.com/ renewal and on August 28th, 2006, Amber Laporte’s life, as it caused him to focus the 72 episodes to examine new and odd http://techguylabs.com/radio/pmwiki.php MacArthur left to work for the Canadian his career choices on technology, a internet sites and viral videos. Roz Rows http://twit.tv/ network, . Calli Lewis acted as personal passion. His first home com- is the 41-episode real-life adventure of http://live.twit.tv/ temporary co-host for the remaining puter was an Atari 400 and his first work Roz Savage as she rows across the http://army.twit.tv/ episodes. In April 2007, the final episode, computer was a NorthStar Advantage Pacific Ocean. With 690 episodes under http://leoville.com/2008/10/01/1826/ #500, aired on the G4techTV channel in with 64k of RAM and a 5-megabyte hard their belts, Laporte and Mad magazines http://twit.am/ Canada and the HOW TO Channel in drive. From 1985 to 1988, Laporte was maddest writer, Dick DeBartolo, continue http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Laporte Australia. On April 23, 2007, The Lab the system operator of MacQueue, one of to speak intelligently five-days-a-week on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Site with Leo Laporte began production in first Macintosh-exclusive bulletin board the Daily Giz Wiz about the greatest http://www.labwithleo.com/personalities Vancouver and airing daily. On March 6th, systems. gadgets of the day. In the 46 episodes of http://www.labwithleo.com/ 2008, Laporte confirmed on his podcast/ In January of 1991, Laporte created FLOSS Weekly, Laporte and Randal http://news.cnet.com/2100-1026_3- netcast, net@Nite #46, that The Lab with and co-hosted Dvorak on Computers, Schwartz talk about the people and 5207821.html?tag=nefd.top Leo Laporte had been canceled by Rogers with John C. Dvorak, noted technology programs in the Free Libre Open http://www.examiner.com/x-448-SF- writer and curmudgeon. He later hosted Communications. Radio-Examiner~topic24961-leoville Laporte on Computers, for KGO Radio Amid the tumult and KSFO in San Francisco, Internet! on of his radio and PBS, and the Personal Computing Show television careers, on CNBC. In 1997, he worked with Laporte became Soledad O’Brien on The Site, an hour- interested in the long newsmagazine for MSNBC, a burgeoning arena of Monday through Saturday daily show. downloadable audio Laporte voiced and performed the real files, now known as time computer-generated character, Dev podcasts or netcasts. Null, who co-hosted with O’Brien. In January 2005 at Laporte earned an Emmy for his work on the MacWorld Expo, The Site. Laporte recorded a In 1998, Laporte created and co- roundtable discussion hosted and the original between himself, Call for Help, live cable and satellite , Patrick shows for ZDTV, which later became Norton, Sarah TechTV. In 2001, Laporte focused on The Norton, David Screen Savers, leaving Call for Help until Prager, and Roger his return in 2003. In 2004, Laporte left Chang. Laporte in a dispute over stock ownership with published the audio Vulcan Ventures, founded by Microsoft’s file to his and co-founder, Paul Allen. Laporte’s contract the response by the expired on March 31st and when he didn’t public was immediate appear on the April 1st Screen Savers, and overwhelming. viewers believed it was an April Fools With the cast com- posed of friends from Page 12 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 a self centered, stuck up cat who now life. Both adults and children will enjoy Screening Room must deal with what Mittens believes is a the films story, its humor and its action. crazy, demented dog. What a team ! The film will show in both 2D and 3D Bolt Bolt and Mittens run into a hamster versions depending of the capabilities of City of Ember named Rhino (voiced by Mark Walton) the theatre. The 3D version would add who is a BIG fan of Bolt’s TV show. another dimension (obviously) to the film Bolt and 3D is recommended. Starring: John Travolta, Miley Cyrus, The film is rated PG due to some Mark Walton, Susie Essman scenes where the characters are in peril. Director: Chris Williams Bolt is rated “A-“. Runtime: 96 minutes Rated: PG City of Ember Release Date: November 21st, 2008 Starring: Bill Murray, Saoirse Reviewed by: Len Berger Mayfleet, Harry Treadaway, Tim (ConNotations Film Editor) Robbins, Martin Landau Director: Gil Kenan (Monster House) Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) is a Runtime: 95 minutes dog who stars in a TV show with the same Rated: PG name. Bolt is a super-dog and his many Release Date: October 10th, 2008 super-powers allow him to constantly Reviewed by: Len Berger save his sidekick Peggy (voiced by Miley (ConNotations Film Editor) Cyrus) from evil. Bolt is also quite closet and was discovered long after the effective in catching the bad guys. Week The City of Ember is an underground 200-year-life of the Generator had passed. after week Peggy and Bolt fight evil on city that was created by the “builders” to Doon Harrow (Harry Treadaway), set but off the set they seldom see each preserve mankind after they realized that who works in the pipeworks where leaks other. Bolt is caged waiting the next days the world was going to end. The city is are aplenty and spare pipe parts are non- shoot. populated with a select group of people existent and Lina Mayfleet (Saoirse In the current episode Peggy is and the builder’s intention was that the Ronan), who is one of many messengers kidnapped and Bolt thinks it’s for real. city’s population would eventually surface which create the city’s communication The fun begins when Bolt escapes in Rhino begs to join the quest to save Peggy and re-populate the planet. The builders system team up to figure out the mystery order to save Peggy from the evil team and with his hamster ball is accepted into provided a massive “Generator” which of the contents of the box after it is found. that kidnapped her. On his quest Bolt the team. On their cross country journey powered the city and was built to last 200 What did the contents mean – where did uses his super-powers without much Bolt continues to learn about the real years. Instructions on how to leave the the box come from? Their dedication to success but his perseverance forces him to world including the fact that he is city were placed in a small metal box that the task is one of the highlights of the continue. Bolt captures a green eyed cat starving. Mittens comes to the rescue by was to be handed down from mayor to film. Mayor Cole (Bill Murray) is a named Mittens (voiced by Susan Essman) teaching Bolt the art of begging for food. mayor throughout time, until the box typical politician who appears to be a bit believing that this cat is associated with The films animation is pretty good and automatically opened after 200 years. obese in a city with food shortages. The the team that kidnapped Peggy. Mittens is the voice actors bring the characters to Unfortunately the box ended up lost in a Mayor’s solution to the Generator (Cont’d on page 14 ) WesternSFA -- Proud Sponsors of AcrossPlus AniZona ConRunners RandomCon Anime Club Arizona’s First Anime Convention Convention Running Seminars A NEW Gaming Convention

So you live in North Phoenix and are AniZona, the first Anime convention in The members of WesternSFA are happy to WesternSFA is proud to bring a new event to interested in anime? Well there is a Arizona joined the WesternSFA family in share our hard earned knowledge about the Phoenix area for the Valley’s gamers. club out there available for you people. 2007. Traditionally held on Easter fan-run conventions. While most of us are weekend each year, the AniZona experienced in running Science Fiction, Our initial event will be held May 8-10, Across Plus is a social club that convention is four days of fun and Anime, and Gaming conventions, the 2009 at the Grace Inn. Current plans include discuses Anime, video games, Manga, activity for the Valley’s Anime fans. basics of a volunteer run convention cross AmberDRPG which is based on the works other animation, and the Japanese Smaller one day events are held all genres. Three times during the year, of Roger Zelazny known to fans worldwide culture. We meet at Bookman’s on 19th periodically throughout the year. usually in February, June and October, we as "The Chronicles of Amber" using a Ave and Northern on Sundays from hold day-long seminars covering the revolutionary system with ranked attributes 7:00pm until 9:00pm. Our family friendly events include Anime various aspects of volunter events. We are and no dice are necessary to play! The viewing, AMV contest, contest, also willing to come talk to your Phoenix RPGA’s preliminary plans include Living In general, we explore Anime, Manga, Artist Alley, Game Room, Karaoke, metro area group at your invitation. Forgotten Realms, Arcanis and Pathfinder. and other styles of animation, have panels and demos on Manga, Anime and And our Console Gaming room plans creative educative demonstrations, Japanese culture along with special guests Additionally our web site holds an ever include Rock Star, DDR and Supersmash participate in interactive discussions, and a vendor’s room in which to find the growing set of convention running files Brothers attend local Arizona conventions, and perfect Anime items. for your use (with credit to WesternSFA). make cosplay. We hope to become an annual event to serve For more information on our events or our For more info contact us at the gamers of Arizona. For more We welcome any new members out next convention to be held on April 9-12, [email protected] or check our web information please check our web site at there who are interested. Our members 2009 please check our web site at site at www.conrunners.org www.randomcon.org or if you have are very friendly, respectful, and fun. www.anizona.org or contact us at questions or want to run a game please Feel free to visit us any Sunday [email protected] contact us at [email protected]

For more information, contact Shane WESTERN SCIENCE FICTION ASSOCIATION (WesternSFA) Bryner at [email protected] or visit our website at A non-profit corporation dedicated primarily to educational activities relating to literature, music, and visual and performing arts, www.acrossplus.com especially in the genres of Anime, science fiction, fantasy, costuming, gaming and science. Applicants for membership in WesternSFA must be sponsored by a current active WesternSFA member. Dues are $10 yearly plus a $5 non-refundable applica- tion fee. General Meetings are held on the first Friday of February, May, August and November, check our website for meeting location Guests are welcome. For more info contact WesternSFA, PO Box 67457, Phoenix AZ 85082 Email: [email protected] Webpage: www.westernsfa.org

Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 13 your trained skills, fighting (brawl, melee, high (but I am close) however looking ends on a scheduled game day with John, ( Cont’d from page 13 ) Screening marksman, thrown), driving (car, through shows the toughest opponents and moseyed out to sit in on the blackouts is to hold a town hall meeting motorcycle, boat, plane), and science and the most interesting situations I have proceedings. At first I was a little baffled. and declare “I hereby propose a task force (physics, chemistry, engineering), among seen. I’d walked into the middle of dice related to investigate the blackouts.” The crowd others. Finally, boons are otherworldly I have been thoroughly enjoying this conflict resolution and didn’t know the cheers! Sul (Martin Landau) is the manifestations based on both what your game and I highly recommend it. terminology yet. I was hearing words like grouchy chief engineer of the pipeworks and is one of those workers who only divine parent knows and what you want to 5 Stars out of 5 - Bob LaPierre ‘risks’ and ‘wagers’ and ‘style’ flying cares about his job. Loris Harrow (Tim See you next time. about. But, I’ve been immersed into a Robbins) is Doon’s dad and an inventor strange new game before, I could be supreme whose house is filled with a patient. dizzying array of Rube Goldberg-type Houses of the Blooded - Game Review Then the coolest thing happened. Part devices. Wicked Dead Brewing Co., of the conflict resolution took into The city is visually delightful with a $45, 300+ pages account what the players wanted to see massive lighting system (they are happen in the story. One sentence worth underground after all), cobblestone streets Before we go into the game itself, a of narrative control was temporarily ceded and an underground maze which houses little background. to the next player in line, who got to say the pipeworks and the Generator. Only Approximately a year and a half ago, I one thing that happened in the scene. And the CFL’s were missing. The set was extremely detailed even down to the was introduced to John Wick at DarkCon it wasn’t just group-friendly resolutions, sewer cover which had the following ’07. Once I’d inquired, I learned that he either. Players would say that something imprinted on it: “PROPERTY OF CITY was the game designer for Legend of the bad happened, to the group’s detriment, OF EMBER”. It was difficult to Five Rings and 7th Sea, with work done for the sake of the story! determine where the set ended and the CG for White Wolf, AEG, Upper Deck, I wrote my character up the very next begins. NeoPets, as well as a small collection of game session. Now, let’s get to reviewing. This is a good family fantasy / sci-fi what he likes to refer to as ‘small games’ Houses of the Blooded is a fantasy film and would be a great diversion from published by his own company, Wicked tabletop game with the overriding theme the current political issues that are Dead Brewing (co-owned by Jared being ‘Tragedy’. Long ago for thousands dominating the news. An interesting Sorenson). By ‘small games’, it means of years, the sorcerer-kings warred tidbit is that the main set is located in learn. Boons usually need an item of things that have enough background, story incessantly in a scope that few could Ireland in one of the buildings where the power to activate them called a birthright. and mechanics to be played by a group of imagine. On the brink of destroying the Titanic was constructed. The building is They also need you to know you are a friends, and if a game master wanted to world, they instead destroyed themselves, now the largest sound stage on earth. The scion to be activated. take it further than that, good on them! leaving behind a great deal of ruin and the film is based on the 2003 novel written by Birthrights are given by the scion’s Now, fast-forward to roughly five or race that served them - the ven. Forced to Jeanne Duprau. divine parent or a trusted servant so months ago. John began attending rebuild a shattered land, now a series of The film is rated PG due to some scary generally. I was given my birthrights by scenes. Valley by Night, a vampire LARP that’s interconnected islands and archipelagos an enemy of my father, my father is . City of Ember is rated “B+”. long been running in Arizona, of which I and filled with wildlife and wild growth Certain divine parents don’t want/like/ am a part. He mentioned that he had a that was wildly altered by the magic that care about their offspring. However in the new game in the works, called Houses of the sorcerer-kings unleashed on the land. fight against the titans few will be the Blooded. A Big Game. One that he The ven called this land Shanri. The word Gamer’s Corner spurned. Your powers are dependant on would like to have a cluster of gamers put means, to them, “The Great Enemy”. you legend rating (similar to the Q rating through the wringer so he could see what That’s the first indicator of how the Scion for television stars). You can use would work and what wouldn’t. (And by characters should be viewing the world White Wolf experience to increase your attributes, this point, I believe he’d already had a around them. Hero $39.99 abilities, boons, or legend. Increasing few other groups testing this out as Over time and a great deal of strife, the Demigod $39.99 your legend without increasing your other well.)Those in our game circle that were ven were able to rebuild to the point of God $39.99 statistics can cause a minor problem, to fans of L5R or 7th Sea were quite becoming their own ruling class, the wit my character. I increased my legend enthused. Blooded. They had their vassals, the Wow! What can I say about this everytime I could and ignored my other Unblooded, the veth, meaning ‘dirt’. system? I was first introduced to it as a stats, this meant I was in the demigod The Blooded are divided among six filler to be played when we had nothing state considerably before everyone else. houses, each extolling a separate virtue as else ready. That was eight months ago and Which brings us to… their point of power and pride, now it is our primary game. The premise Demigod- becoming a demigod causes represented by an animal. Bear is is simple, you are the children (scions) of certain changes, you add another set of Strength, Elk is Cunning, Falcon has the gods and the titans who mean to starting points to the ones you already Courage, Fox has Beauty, Serpent has destroy them are loose. You are not given have. This allows you to focus your Wisdom and Wolf shows Prowess. This is much time to accept that you are more attributes. Unfortunately this means that if how the main attributes are represented than mortal (but not quite immortal, yet). you do as I did, you wind up with and every single character has one of The three books are the three tiers of play, someone with who could have an attribute those Virtues as a Weakness. No matter and you would do well to decide on how so beyond the other characters that some what, they will never naturally excel at players are going to spend their difficult actions are automatic and if you that weakness. They must strive to experience or you could wind up with a increase the difficulty or use more overcome it in other ways. very unbalanced party. More on that later. powerful adversaries the other characters The ven are a people of extremes. Hero- here is character creation. In cannot succeed. The book at this level They don’t just fall in love, they have creating yourself you and your GM decide draws you in to the periphery of the battle Romance. They don’t just get even, they whether or not you know you are an between the gods and the titans. You are swear Revenge. And their word for both incipient godling. Both choices have good used as messengers, scouts, and guerrilla And me? Honestly, I didn’t pay much concepts is the same one, just with role-playing possibilities and our party combat troops. attention at first. I was just coming out of different emphasis. They don’t just was split. Your choice of parent gives you God- here you get still another stat a long burnout phase with role-playing in gamble, they have Wagers. They don’t certain potential, attributes, abilities, and bump and you truly get to become a lesser general, but I was happy that my friends just fail, they have an epically Tragic boons. Attributes are a measure of your member of the pantheon. You can sire had something up and coming that they downfall the likes of which we hope we’ll physical, social, and mental state. They more scions, participate directly in the could look forward to that was new and never see. The rule regarding property is can be augmented with epic stats which battle with the titans, and even challenge different. that you own what you can keep. If give you your godly prowess. Abilities are other members of the pantheon for their Until one day when I was at loose portfolio. I haven’t gotten a character this ( Cont’d on page 15 ) Page 14 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 Gamers ( Cont’d from page 14 ) (the Invoke), for an opponent to get Highly recommended for dark sci-fi fans Sanguinius.” Also, a short story “Blood bonuses (the Tag), and a way for someone and Warhammer 40,000 readers - Jeffrey Debt” bridges between the novels. someone else can take it from you, then it to force your character to act, (the Lu Overall, enjoyed it. Recommended to isn’t yours any longer. No ven shall have Compel) So if you’re writing up a Warhammer 40,000 readers and dark sci- armies, so naturally everyone has a secret swordsman’s Aspect, it might look Warhammer 40,000 Relentless fi fans. - Jeffrey Lu force of armsmen. No ven shall use something like this: by Richard Williams sorcery, so everyone scrambles to acquire Aspect: Swordsman A Publications, $7.99, Warhammer 40,000 Titanicus what remnants of the sorcerer-kings Invoke - Stand Your Ground (Activate 287 pages. by Dan Abnett magic that they can get. They worship when defending) A Black Library Publications, $24.99, their gods, the suaven, fellow ven that Tag - Honorable Combat (Cannot take the Captain Becket has been betrayed by 400 pages. have passed onto the next life. When they first swing) his first officer Ward and his new crew worship, they abase themselves as Compel - Sworn to protect (When those from “Relentless,” a navy space Here is a story of the Imperial devoutly as possible. Weeping and he’s chosen to defend are threatened) battleship. He is considered dead. Instead, defenders of a forged world, Orestes. The wailing, slashing their palms to give of The book itself can seem a little he survived and is captured by a world is infected with a legion of giant their blood, in order to receive the intimidating at first, ending at 432 pages. “Relentless” press gang. Will Becket get Chaos war machines, Titans. The Imperial suaven’s blessing. If you pick it up and become alarmed by his ship back? Will he live to see the strikes back with their own reliable Titans These are the ven. They aspire to great the walls of text coming at you, don’t mutiny revenged? against these metal hordes. Will they stop heights and they’ll almost uniformly have fear! The writing style is almost Good story. Dark. Recommended for the Chaos armies before the world end in a colossally tragic end. And the player conversational, making it seem more like dark sci-fi fans and Warhammer 40,000 blood? gets to control how they meet that end. you’re having a chat with the author, readers - Jeffrey Lu The mechanics are fairly simple, if a rather than having a gaggle of new game bit counter-intuitive at first. When you roll mechanics lobbed at you. Just about every Warhammer 40,000 for success or failure at anything, (called page of the book has little tidbits of the The Blood Angels Omnibus ‘making a Risk), you assemble the culture that you’re playing with, adding to by James Swallow number of dice that your sheet says you’ll the immersive writing style. And all A Black Library Publications, $11.99, need. Before you roll, however, you make throughout the book, it urges the Narrator pp. 638. wagers. These are dice set aside to pad and the players to make their game a your lead. Rolling is simple: If you roll a collaborative effort, not to just find the Brothers Rafen and Arkio are having a 10 or greater, you get to say what the baddie and make the big kill, but to tell a dispute over not only a family matters but outcome is of the Risk. If you do not, the story that everyone can talk about in the also one of them claims to be Sanguinius, Narrator gets to state the outcome. If you inevitable gaming war stories. Just give it the Blood Angels’ founder. Both of them win the roll, you keep all your Wagers. If a try - if you trust your players and your will duel to the death for who is right you do not, you lose half of them. narrator, you won’t be disappointed. - Jon through enemies and friends. Only one Enjoyable. Realistic. Recommended to The Wager mechanic is what intrigued Kelley (aka - Snag of the Dark Ones) will survive. dark sci-fi fans and Warhammer 40,000 me the most about the game. After you This omnibus contains two novels, readers - Jeffrey Lu. say what the initial outcome is, you then Warhammer The Chronicles of Malus “Deus Encarmine” and “Deus use one wager to make one narrative DarkBlade Volume One statement about the scene, continuing the by Dan Abnett and Mike Lee line of thought you started with the initial A Black Library Publications, $11.99, roll. For instance, you succeed at 768 pages. searching for a clue to a mystery and say, “I find a letter, hidden under a cloak.” In these chronicles, the story of a Then you spend a Wager to add, “...And, young evil elfish aristocrat finds an the cloak belongs to Lady Shara.” Spend unwanted “guest” for a quest for five another wager, “Someone else borrowed artifacts within a year. In these tales, Lady Shara’s cloak last night.” And so on, Malus Darkblade will find three are facts until you run out of wagers. If more than against his friends, family, fiends, and one person rolled, everyone gets to feuds. contribute as well. For good or for ill, This tome carries the first three novels, they all throw together their statements “The Daemon’s Curse,” “Bloodstorm,” until the scene is built. And with this new and “Reaper of Souls.” It also contains a information, they now have a direction to short story, “The Blood Price”, and an go in their search to solve the mystery. authors’ introduction. Complimenting the Wager mechanic is Very dark. Worth the reading for dark the method of player reward, Style Points. fantasy lovers and Warhammer readers - While the Narrator is describing the scene Jeffrey Lu or depicting an NPC, a player can spend a Style Point to say one thing about the Warhammer 40,000 current events. It can be anything from, Hammer of Daemons “The duke is lying to you,” to, “the by Ben Counter servants are serving our favorite food.” A Black Library Publications, $7.99, Whatever the players feel will contribute 405 pages. to the story, they can spend a Style Point to make that contribution true. Style is Grey Knight Alaric is captured by also used to activate certain abilities, Chaos forces. Instead of torture, Alaric is blessings or spells. sent to a Chaos world as a gladiator. He Skills are depicted via Aspects, found will have to battle everything including in the FATE system. (Spirit of the Century his own beliefs to survive. being the most common example). You This is the third installment of The name the aspect of something you’re good Grey Knights. at, we’ll say ‘Swordsman’. Each Aspect Loved it! Grey Knight is sort of like has a method for the player to trigger it the medieval paladins in the future. Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 15 An American in New Zealand himself. Like the time he finally buys a have an antecedent in a cautionary tale of Musty Tomes cheap used TV (he cannot watch TV speculation. Part Two: “First Blunder- normally as the flickering can easily set ‘It Can’t Happen Here’ shows a fascist Over a Hill for Lord of the off his time-traveling) because he wants America. FDR doesn’t win reelection in Rings” The Time Traveler’s Wife Clare to see them win the Illinois State 1936, but is beaten by Berzelius Windrip, by Jeffrey Lu by Audrey Niffenegger lottery ($8 million)—so Clare can finally a humble, self-effacing populist with the Harcourt, $14.00, 546 pages have the studio she needs for her art. (The common touch. He has the support of In early morning, Christchurch, New only other time they watch the TV is the poor war veterans, and promises pie in Zealand, was the place for first of the Sometimes, when you read a book so morning of Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001.) the sky for everyone to get America out three Lord of The Rings Movie Tour by good—you don’t want it to end. Henry finally finds a doctor in his of the Great Depression. To ram through Red Carpet. The bus waited for adventur- And not because it is so marvelous present that he reveals his ability to, a his economic reforms, he requires power ers like me. (which it is) but because you will be I had a backpack with sandals, a geneticist who eventually discovers why above Congress and the Supreme Court, crushed and devastated by the ending. Henry time travels (and the rest of us to override the constitutional balance of towel, and a coat. I remembered why I The author has engaged your emotions so was on this trip. I wanted to hike Mount don’t). Dr. Kendrick comes up with a powers. When the government balks, thoroughly; you are going to weep like a Sunday, Middle Earth’s “Edoras.” In drug regimen which helps Henry control Windrip’s private army of bluecoats baby when you finally close the book. Phoenix, I had walked long distances and his time jumping somewhat—and more arrests Congress and the judges. Martial (And also, in my particular case, as a ran up the stairs for at least a month importantly help he and Clare to have a law is then declared, and America quickly before I went on this climb. I think I’m hopeful organizer of words—I will never baby—which they finally do after seven slides into a police state, with the popula- ready. I approached and promptly sat in ever write anything this good.) miscarriages. tion constantly lied to about the what and the bus. The book I am talking about is by Her name is Alba and eventually we why of it all. Our first stop was at a bakery. I Audrey Niffenegger, called ”The Time learn she can time travel, too. Opponents are put in concentration bought a few items for breakfast and Traveler’s Wife” which was published in The story is compelling and emo- camps, and torture is used to try and lunch. I also snatched two boxes of 2003. tional. The secondary characters are extract info before putting the victims cookies for the strenuous exercise. I found a copy at the Goodwill, utterly marvelous. The writing is lyrical into camps to serve as examples. The Then, the bus went to Canterbury (Harvest Books; $14) because the title and precise, gorgeous without overdoing focus of the story is on a newspaper Plains. The tour guide showed us on the was intriguing and I think I read some- the descriptions or the emotions. The editor who joins the underground bus’ DVD player “LOTR: The Two thing about it somewhere. Possibly a depth and layering of the characters is so resistance, is caught, tortured, and Towers.” It was fun to note that there is review in Locus. wonderful. They are not trite and dry and escapes. The ending is unresolved, but still a “ring” missing up in those hills. It is a diary of two people’ lives - predictable but full of flavor and eccen- half of America has rebelled and seceded Anyone who finds this “ring” can sell it Henry DeTamble and Clare Abshire. tricities. So very believable. The con- into a free zone. The narrative style of on eBay if they can get Peter Jackson to Henry is a librarian at the prestigious struction of the novel is concise journal this may seem dull by today’s standards, confirm it. The “ring” is actually his Newbury Library in Chicago and Clare is entries with dates and sometimes time of but the unfolding story details are glasses lost by the winds at Canterbury an artist who makes large constructions day and Henry and Clare’s ages, i.e.; compelling. The scenes of torture are Plains near Mount Sunday. using hand-made papers she makes Clare is 13; Henry is 35. matter-of-fact, and it hurts. You hate the As I walked out of the bus, the winds herself. blew someone’s hat away. This is not a casual read, but one villains, and you wonder if it could Henry is a time traveler whose life that’s enthralling and will remain with happen here, even today. Not a bad writer I looked at the infinite thorn bushes threads in and out of his past and present and cow patties. I felt like a rabbit. I you. – he got the Nobel Prize for Literature in and sometimes his future and just as wasn’t prepared for this. It is one of the most heart-wrenching 1930 neatly threads in and out of Clare’s past, Our group began to walk to the hill love stories I have ever read. - Sue ‘Darkness at Noon’ and ‘1984’ could present and future. Henry can and does known as Mount Sunday. Together, three Martin be sequels to Lewis. Both have detailed to eight people crossed three cold meet himself at various time and ages— tortures of the main character. In Koestler streams. No one was lost. Yet, another with no obvious paradox. There is a The Torture Trilogy it’s aimed at Stalinist Russia, where an person’s hat floated away on the rushing really clever bit where Henry from the It Can’t Happen Here, aging party member gets a mild treatment water. past “fixes” a situation for Henry in the by Sinclair Lewis, 1935 since that is argued to be most effective in My first blunder was to climb the 89- present during a very small window of Darkness at Noon, his case. In Orwell it’s set in a future degree slant of Mount Sunday. Others opportunity. by Arthur Koestler, 1941 England where TV screens watch climbed before me did not expect the The novel is set mostly in Chicago; 1984, by George Orwell, 1948 everyone. The world is divided among hard going. One of them cried, “I not takes in some of current events, but three superpowers – Oceania, Eurasia, going to make it!” Since she was in my mostly it focuses on Henry and Clare’s Torture can be portrayed in a positive and Eastasia – which have agreed to path, I told her she’ll be fine. When she life and their love and their families. And or negative light in fiction. On the permanent low-level war against each finally got up there, she laid down and Henry’s distressing ability to jump back positive side, some derive sexual pleasure other to maintain their tyranny. breathed like a fish out of water. She was and forth in time. He cannot control from non-injurious forms (porn). In While speculative fiction fans all fine, later. where he goes or when he goes. He political fiction, some claim that true know of ‘1984,’ they may be excused for The view was breathtaking. Snowy cannot take anything with him, meaning information can be extracted from not reading Koestler or comparable mountains were around the hill. Most of he always arrives naked. He teaches terrorists (24). Of course, liars can say, “I works like Solzhenitsyn. But there really the view was taken for the three LOTR himself how to break-and-enter, commit guess they changed their plans since you is no excuse for avoiding Lewis, the movies. There was one location that had robbery, pick locks with paperclips, run caught me.” And they can always tell the primal work on torture as political policy only the concrete setting that once was like the dickens. Because not only can he Edoras, the palace of the horsemen. I bullies what they want to hear (the real in the USA. . You can even find it free on not control his time traveling—he never Inquisition). the Internet. This novel was also the basis glanced around and then noticed my first knows how long he will be trapped in blunder. Which brings us to the negative side, for the science fiction TV series ‘V.’ time so he will always need to find The tour guide forgot to tell us that we where torture is its own reward, whether Yeah, scifi, tyranny, torture, economic clothes and money quickly. He sometimes didn’t have to climb the 89-degree slant for the sexual kinks of the torturer depression. Fiction, right? - M.L. Fringe hides out in the basement of Clare’s home of Mount Sunday. (No, we had to be like (DeSade’s fiction) or as political policy. Captain Kirk climbing in “Star Trek V.”) while Clare is growing up. Henry gives During the Inquisition, torture was part of Changing Planes We could have walked the other hill in a her a list of the dates he will appear so a self-sustaining industry that transferred by Ursula LeGuin 30 degree climb to Mount Sunday. Oh, Clare always has clothes and food wealth from scapegoats, thus serving a Harcourt, Inc. 2003; 246 p; $22.00 well. What a hobbit I make. waiting for him when he shows up, which dual purpose. The Nazis (WWII) did that, (Also available in paperback) Next Words- An American in New is usually in a meadow behind Clare’s too. In modern tyrannies, torture and its Zealand Part Three- Picton Place with home. obvious false confessions serve to keep This is a collection of “what if” essays Wild Dolphins and Tux-Feathered And because he is a moral character— populations in fearful obedience. In which radiate out from the central Friends. he uses very little of the future to nudge literature, there are a couple classic works speculation: what if, while miserably the past. Except when he cannot help that inspired the world against it, but they (Cont’d on page 17) Page 16 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 through the strangely evolved culture, the gemstone mine. The owner of the mine is daughter of Valdemar’s most revered Musty Tomes (Cont’d from page 16) author makes free with much exposition a thoroughly Dickensian villain; he is living Bard, and Bear, a young Healer waiting to change planes at an airport, regarding societal and resource pressures paid to care for all the local orphans and with no Gift, but with a practical working one could change planes to other in this artificial environment. I would have unwanted children, then he puts them all knowledge of herbs. One of the turning worlds? Apparently, you can, at least if preferred a bit more “show me” rather to work mining ‘sparklies.’ The children points in his life occurs when he you are like Ursula LeGuin, who wrote than “tell me” but I had to reconsider the are starved and neglected, and the ones interrupts a merchant’s embroidered in her author’s note, “Error, fear, and generation in which this book was written who run afoul of Cole Pieters or any of praise of the worth of a topaz ring. Mags suffering are the mothers of invention. before I could try to appreciate the his loutish brood end up on the wrong knows a thing or two about the quality of The constrained body knows and values revolutionary ideas in this story. side of a collapsed tunnel. Mags is gemstones, so he tells the potential buyer the freedom of the mind.” Some of the discussion of how the careful, alert, and kind to the other the truth. In the wake of this deed, Mags, The non-stories are not plot driven; government controlled their populace orphans. At thirteen, his goal is to survive who is 1) an , 2) observant, and they are reflective, anthropological through genetics and some through to the age of 16, when Cole Pierters is 3) unobtrusive, becomes recruited by the encounters with aliens who are, some- political artifice was actually fun and supposed to release him or hire him as a King’s Own as a kind of in-house spy. times, very like ourselves, or who have interesting. The characters were familiar paid miner. All this changes one day As the first in a trilogy, many boldly gone where we have not yet. and I wish I could have a better sense of when a Companion comes for Mags. Cole elements are introduced that will not be What if humans experimented with how novel they might have been in 1919. Pieters is furious, and afraid, for the last resolved until book three. The Collegium genetic manipulation and hybridized This is definitely a book to read to thing he wants is an investigation into his Chronicles looks to be very much in the themselves with animals or plants? What appreciate our SF roots. Try it, you may operations. Mags, who has been his most manner and style of Queen’s Own, albeit if dreams were communal? (That’s my like it. - Catherine Book productive worker, could be his undoing. with less tragedy and angst: Lackey has favorite.) What if we could breed people Mags is transported to the Collegium. made it very clear that she is drawing who never needed to sleep? (The In a progression that could be used as a water from less bitter wells. Don’t expect of Aldous Huxley hovers over this one.) In Our Book textbook study of Mazlow’s hierarchy of your heartstrings to be wrung as by What if there were people who truly needs, he begins his training as a full never died? (Some horror here, plus a ( Cont’d on page 18 ) Foundation Herald, befriending along the way Lena, touch of Swift satire, complete with by Mercedes Lackey references to Gulliver’s Travels.) What if Daw Books, $25.95, 340 pp one’s interface with virtual reality equipment goes awry, leaving you to Foundation is the first volume in a new encounter a deranged Wonderland? Valdemar trilogy, designated The Some essays describe, with the Collegium Chronicles, which begins dispassion of a historian, tribal wars over approximately 50 years after the passing land, or religion. Throughout the book, of Vanyel, the last Herald-Mage. the humor is wry and dry, like a good Companions have been choosing new vermouth. It is the perfect accompani- heralds in unprecedented numbers, ment for traveling by plane. If you do a signifying that ‘interesting times’ are great deal of driving, look for the audio ahead, and requiring a radical change in version. – Chris Paige the traditional methods of training City of Endless Night Heralds. There simply aren’t enough senior Heralds to mentor so many trainees, by Milo Hastings especially when many of them prove to be Hyperion paperback, 1974, 346pp

It’s easy to write a review of a beloved book that has stood the test of time. It’s harder to review one that you’ve never read before when the concepts, plot and characterizations seem old and tired. The copyright on this story is 1919. It had to have been an extraordinary story in its time. I’m no SF historian but I’d be willing to bet that some of the ideas in this book were brand new in their time, even revolution- ary. As the synopsis implies, this book may have influenced other writers such as Aldous Huxley. The story posits a Germany that withdrew from the rest of the world after beginning yet another war that didn’t go well for them. Considering this was written after WWI but before WWII, that alone makes it prophetic. The German scientists cover the city of Berlin with an illiterate. So the Collegium, which was impenetrable dome and begin burrowing founded to educate and house Bards and the city down. And generations pass. An Healers, is now being expanded to accident brings a chemical engineer from accommodate Heralds as well. While the outside into the city where he has to some Heralds are flatly opposed to this pass himself off as a native while change, all the active Heralds are under a suggesting any one of the city residents double strain of maintaining traditions and would find it impossible to do the same adapting to the new order. in the outside world. As he stumbles The central character is Mags (short for ), an orphan who works in a Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 17 In Our Book ( Cont’d from page 17 ) Mags is discovered working in a mine super-novel. There are more stories to most of the time, Professor mFumbo the finding “sparklies” (very fine jewels) for come, but this one is complete. scientist who really did want to research Arrow’s Fall. But if there is less pity and a monster of a mine owner Cole Pieters Ostensibly, her ship The is on a the new fuzzy jump points, Hernando terror, there is still plenty of good and his equally repulsive family. Mags is mission of scientific exploration, but as Cortez who just wanted to pillage a storytelling. There is the mystery of just one of the cast-off orphans in this usual there is more than one agenda. She planet, Whitebred who funded the pirates Mags’ origins, the dark purpose of the mine who have been given to the owner is on the hunt for pirates preying on the and just wanted profit and many more. merchant princes and their mercenaries, and mistreated: barely fed, barely clothed, illegal colonies beyond human occupied I recommend this book highly. – Bear’s unwanted betrothal, Lena’s burden barely protected against the elements. space. Kris discovers pirate raiders as Gary Swaty of familial expectation, Pieter’s revenge, Mags’ dark and miserable life is miracu- expected and also a mad plot by fanatics and Mags’ nightmares, which are lously changed for the better occurs by to create an incident which would trigger Savvy reminiscent of Herald Vanyel’s the sudden appearance at the mine of a interstellar war. She must win a war with by Ingrid Law premonitions of doom. One of the best Herald with a Companion, Dallen. The freebooters and then foil the fanatics’ Dial, 352 pages, $16.99 scenes in the book is the Midwinter’s Eve magical stallion is for Mags who is plot. celebration. Lackey draws together revealed to be one of the Chosen—a Kris encounters Victoria Peterwald Mibs Beaumont is about to turn 13, a numerous solstice traditions and faiths, Herald-to-be. He is taken from his who tried to kill her in the last book. special birthday for all children but even and there is a feeling to the passage that horrible existence to Haven, the capital of Victoria held Kris responsible for more so for the Beaumont children For suggests this is very much how she Valdemar for training. Victoria’s brother’s death. Now it turns them, their thirteenth birthday is even herself has celebrated at least one The novel follows Mags’ bonding out that she and Victoria must overcome more special since that is the day they get holiday. If so, I wish there were a guest with Dallen, his struggle to fit into a their antipathy and work together to their special gift or “savvy.” Mibs’ older list for the party, cause if there’s another much kinder world and his friendships prevent disaster. brother Rocket’s savvy is controlling like it I want to go, to quote her own among the other apprentices, set against The story abounds with wonderful electricity, Fish controls the rain and her song. Strongly recommended. – Chris political chicanery instigated by a group characters such as Drogo, the colorful Mama’s gift is to be perfect. Mibs can’t Paige of foreign “diplomats,” who have their merchant Captain who runs The Wasp ( Cont’d on page 19 ) own agenda. Ghost Walk This is a delightful read—as are all of by Brian Keene Lackey’s Valdemar novels. Leisure, $7.99 275 pages You just can’t go wrong here. - Sue Martin In “Ghost Walk” Brian Keene weaves a fairly engaging story about a haunted The Taint and Other Novellas attraction built in an area full of legends A Cthulhu Mythos Collection of evil. His antagonist is a creature of By Brian Lumley immortality, drawn on similar lines as Books, $14.00; 347 pp. Lovecraft’s Cthulu Mythos. His (human) characters were believable and easy to Lumley delivers the closest approxi- like. His main protagonist, Levi Stoltzfus, mation of Lovecraft’s work of anyone, is an outcast Amish man, who practices a and I include August Derleth in this, that type of magic called “powwow.” He does I have read. mainly healing magic until the creature is This is a first volume. These novellas accidentally set free and Levi feels were all previously published but some “called by God” to protect mankind. are all but impossible to find. There is a touch of mystery surrounding I particularly liked The Fairground him and who he really is. Mr. Keene Horror and Rising at Surtsey. Both had ended the story well, but does leave room the creeping horror and the overwhelm- for a possible sequel. Overall, I enjoyed ing sense of doom that Lovecraft was this book and do recommend it for fans of famous for. I cannot recommend this the genre. In fact, I liked it well enough volume enough. The way he slowly that I may even go out and find some of builds up the sense of dread and keeps Mr. Keene’s other books. - Nyki you reading even though you know the horrors to come, just sends shivers up and Foundation: The Collegium Chronicles down your spine. I can’t say much about by Mercedes Lackey the stories without giving too much away DAW Books; $25.95; 340pp but… If you ever find a parchment with some unpronounceable syllables on it… Hot diggity! A new series from Ms. DO NOT EVER TRY TO SPEAK Lackey set in the world of Valdemar. THEM! - Bob LaPierre The basis of this series is the fact that there are not enough Heralds to train new Kris Longknife: Intrepid apprentices traditionally one-on-one. The By Mike Shepherd current Heralds of Valdemar are spread Ace Books, 2008 344 pp. thin serving their king. So the solution is Mass Market Paperback $7.99 to establish a College for Heralds, as they have done for Healers and Bards. Kris Longknife: Intrepid is the sixth in But of course, not everyone is happy the Kris Longknife series. It is excellent with the change. imaginative military science fiction. Mike This novel focus’s on the newest Shepherd truly understands how to write Herald apprentice Mags (short for believable characters and complex Magpie) and his Companion Dallen (a interlaced situations. He provides a Companion is a horse who can communi- complete story with plenty of loose ends cate telepathically to his Herald and who hanging to pave the way for the next is even more talented than a regular novel in the series; but you do not feel horse). that he has fed you just a piece of a huge Page 18 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 In Our Book ( Cont’d from page 18 ) young boy named Jammer is the sole forces and facing annihilation. Santana story of first contact, Hollywood agents, survivor of a failed habitat that gets and the legion decide to survive. The Hollywood stars, aging retrievers, wait for her birthday and her savvy to salvaged by space pirates. Jammer is just other option is unthinkable. disastrous losses, and serendipitous come. part of the haul, a sort of super cargo who As they struggle to survive, on the associations. becomes the captain’s mascot and home front, Diplomat Christine Benign but gelatinous aliens, the eventually a pirate himself, of necessity. Vanderveen is coping with shortages, Yherajk, want to hire a representative to Jammer accommodates himself to his allies that can’t be trusted and her own render them more acceptable and appeal- surroundings, but privately he considers attraction to the newly elected president ing to human sensibilities. Hotshot agent the choices and actions of everyone: the of the Clone Republic. Her heart finds Tom Stein gets the job. He is at a loss people of the habitat, who were kind and itself torn between her old love and a new how to proceed until he learns more loving, but who stayed on a failing loyalty. about the Yherajk from his houseguest, habitat; the pirates who rescued him, but This is classic Dietz. The seventh the Yherajk ambassador, and from a visit who methodically plunder and even Legion novel handles brutal military to their mother ship. He is plagued by a murder. Years later, Jammer is one of a action and diplomatic intrigue with equal sleazy reporter who dogs his movements, small raiding party that gets captured by aplomb. Want lots of action, good misrepresents him in print, and stows privateers, and only the fact that he is still characterizations, and a menacing away on the spaceship. He has to jettison legally a minor at the time of capture enemy? Here is one for any lover of most of his human clients, and the ones saves him from execution. Instead, he is Military SF. Pam Allan he keeps are stolen from him. To really sent to a holding pen/reform school for complicate his life, his one remaining star the other young human flotsam and Living with the Dead client, a perky blonde former cheerleader A few days before her birthday, Mibs’ jetsam of a planet. As he did among the A Women of the Underworld novel in her early twenties, wants him to land father is injured in an accident and pirates, Jammer survives by lying to by Kelley Armstrong her the coveted role as a middle-aged, hospitalized far from home. While her others, but not to himself. And eventually Bantam Spectra, $22.00; 372 pp. Jewish civil rights activist who survived mother goes to be with him, the local he is old enough to leave the school and the Holocaust to become a lawyer in the preacher’s wife decides to take care of the make the choice that will allow him to This, the ninth book in the series, is deep South (out of the fire into the frying children and throw Mibs a birthday party. return to space with his peculiar integrity the first volume in which a normal human pan). Tom is resourceful enough to deal On the morning of her birthday Mibs intact. “Lunacy” by Anna Paradox is not is the main protagonist. I like Robyn; she with it all. – Chris Paige wakes up. Sure she knows what her unlike Heinlein’s juvenilia. (I especially went to a high school that interacted with savvy is and is positive she needs to get liked Paradox’s Lunar slang.) Corporate the prep school Hope went to. They Queen’s Bastard to Salina to help her father wake up and Earth has put the squeeze on Lunites with became friends and Hope took a tempo- by C.E. Murphy get well. Through a series of choices, a 300% tax on everything from nitrogen rary assignment in L.A. to keep tabs on Del Ray, 420 pp, $14.00 Mibs, her brothers Fish and Samson, the to music downloads. The adults are her after her husband Damon died. preacher’s kids Bobbi and Will set off for worried about the nitrogen; four teenag- Robyn is a PR consultant and she Queen’s Bastard starts a new series by Salina in a pink bus with a Bible ers resolve to illegally tap a satellite to becomes involved in the supernatural the author of The Walker Papers. deliveryman. stay current with their favorite recording world when her client is murdered and it Belinda Primrose is the queen’s un- This is a delightful adventure for all artists. looks like she did it. Clairvoyants are acknowledged daughter trained as a spy/ ages. Once I started the book, I could not With anthologies, one can usually involved and as the rarest of the races assassin since childhood by her father in put it down. This is a coming of age story gauge a story by reading the first para- they are much in demand. When Robyn an alternate Elizabethan-era world. with a bit of the fantastic that is sure to graph. If you are at all intrigued by the finds out about the existence of the Smart and alluring, fluent in lan- become an instant classic. The ending is theme of this anthology, you will prob- supernatural world, Hope has to decide guages, and able to assume any persona, real and touching and doesn’t take the ably find between five and nine stories to whether to follow procedure and elimi- Belinda can infiltrate the courts where her easy way out. I highly recommend this your liking. – Chris Paige nate her or not. mother’s enemies plot to take over her book to everyone, youngsters and adults. Meanwhile, the local police, in the mother’s country in the name of religion. - Stephanie. L Bannon When Duty Calls person of Detective John Findlay, are However, Belinda’s spying takes a new by William C. Dietz trying to find and arrest Robyn for the turn when her witchlight appears. Space Pirates Ace, 356 pp, $24.99 murder. Detective Findlay, Finn, has a Belinda now has powers that her edited by David Lee Summers secret - he can talk to the dead. His mother can’t imagine and anything can be Flying Pen Press, 2008; 242 p; $16.95 When Duty Calls is a new novel of the family have long had this trait but hers including Prince Javier. But Javier is Legion of the Damned. believed it to be nothing more than a also whichbreed whose ability exceeds Here is a collection of 15 tales of In the continuing wa,r the minor gift. Finn usually only sees the her own. Amid court intrigue and magic, piracy between the stars. There are ghost Ramanthians, Captain Antonio Santana victims of murder and then only briefly. loyalty and love can lead to the ultimate pirates, pirates of industry and technol- and his company of cyborgs and bio bots, He discovers a ghost at the crime scene aphrodisiac....power. ogy, raiders, swashbucklers, villains, find themselves surrounded by enemy that offers to help. He becomes very An exciting new series with a heroes, and buffoons. Danielle Ackley- helpful and indeed gathers information reimagined Renaissance Europe as a McPhail’s “Carbon Copy” is like an otherwise unavailable. world where intrigue, and betrayal are a Honor Harrington short story with an So far this is my favorite in the series. way of life in the realpolitik. A chess Asimovian pun at the end. (groan!) “Star I am, however, looking forward to the game played with spies, poison and Wench,” by Daniel M. Hoyt, is light- next book The Men of the Underworld. - daggers with more than just two sides. hearted space opera. (Space operetta?) Bob LaPierre Queen’s Bastard has something for Most of these stories are intended as fast everyone. Can’t wait for the next volume. and easy entertainment; the writers had Agent to the Stars - Pam Allan fun writing them and they hope you have by John Scalzi fun reading them. A few raise more Tor Books, $14.95, 365 p. Elric: To Rescue Tanelorn serious questions of ethics and conse- Chronicles of the quences. “For a Job Well Done,” by John Scalzi’s charming ‘Author’s Last Emperor of Melnibone David Lee Summers, is a romance in Note’ tells the story of how this little Volume 2 which the protagonists have to make hard book came to be written as a practice by Michael Moorcock choices between the profitable and the novel, how it was offered as shareware, Del Rey, $15.00; 469 pp. humane. “Never Lie to Yourself,” by published as a limited edition by Subter- Uncle River, is the most realistic of the ranean Press in 2005, and is now re- This is a second collection of short bunch, and it has a narrative style published for wider distribution. It is a stories about the Eternal Champion. Most reminiscent of fireside storytelling. A delightfully well-written, laugh-out-loud (Cont’d on page 20) Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 19 In Our Book ( Cont’d from page 19 ) The planet Quofum is unique, it seems bered and ignorant of warfare. Not even Ayers, a necromancer, is released from to only exist sometimes. When the The Walker can turn the tide. But luckily, the mental hospital. After breaking his of these were written before I was able to commonwealth finally sends an explor- Captain Reddy finds the other American parole, he raises a mummy, John Wilkes recognize what a book was let alone read atory crew they find three sentient ship that came through the rift, giving Booth, in order to raise Death. Death is it. However, I have studiously read all species. There is a spy for the Quarm them the firepower to make a difference. not quite who he expects. Walking Death that I could find since discovering among the scientists and a rather large However, another ship, the Japanese has his own agenda. Part of that agenda is Stormbringer in high school. However, I surprise for them as well. The planet is a battle cruiser, the Amagi has also come reclaiming the chief sorcerer’s dagger [of hadn’t realized until seeing this volume ship/trap/laboratory. What it is for and through and it is bigger, and more heavily office] which was Death’s sword before just how much I missed. why it exists are the connection to Flinx. armed. They want to destroy the Ameri- being lost by an ancestor in a card game. In his introduction Moorcock informs Enjoy this volume I did. - Bob can ships and they have joined the Grik. It has to be returned willingly. Marla us of when and where he wrote these and LaPierre The destroyerman series is military can’t do that. Now the war begins and the where they were published. I had read SF, that combines history, alternate Founder’s Ball, a five year event, is due. some of the more recent stories but I had The Ten Thousand worlds and plenty of action. The charac- This is a wild supernatural adventure missed such gems as The Last Enchant- by Paul Kearney ters are well-drawn, regardless of species that has Marla traveling to Hell to reclaim ment and the titular story. All of them are Solaris, 465 pp, $7.99 or world. The world is fully realized, and Felport, and her life. The ending has a wonderfully complete and ready to fill the book almost impossible to put down. couple of twists you don’t expect, but your time with anything from twenty The Ten Thousand stands alone. If you like military SF you will want this will love. Marla and her gang are quirky, minutes to an hour of fantastic reading. - On the world of Kuf, the Macht are a book in your library. Don’t take just one - well-drawn, and fun. This is a series I’ve Bob LaPierre mystery, a seldom seen people of disci- grab the series. - Pam Allan enjoyed and this is the best so far. Go get plined warriors. Their battlefield prowess ‘em, gang. - Pam Allan Of Wind and Sand is legendary. For centuries they have The Pretenders by Sylvie Be’rard remained in the mountain fastnesses of by Lynda Williams The Devil’s Due Edge, 312 pp, $19.95 the Harakush mountains. On the outside, Edge, 342 pp, $20.95 by Jenna Black the teeming peoples of Kuf have united Spectra, 317 pp, $6.99 Of Wind and Sand, is a combination within the Asurian Empire. The king’s The Pretenders is part three of the of sci fi and fantasy told as a memoir. word is law. Okal Rel Saga. The Devil”s Due is the third in the The ships made an unexpected But now the Great King’s brother Ev’rel is one of the last purebreds. series about Morgan Kingsley, exorcist. landfall on a planet they called Mars II. means to take the throne by force. He Contracted for ten children with Delm, “Trust me or die” is the choice The planet had an indigenous species hires ten thousand Macht mercenaries her villainous brother, who in turn steals Morgan Kingsley is given by her resident and leads them into the Empire. her child, frames her for the death of her demon. Morgan has dozens of very good The book, showing the influence of lover, and has her exiled from the Rel reason not to trust anyone, from the the Greek city states, is well-written, world. Sixteen years later, Amel is found, violence that torched her family to her grounded in epic fantasy, and carries the his mind altered and working as a reader along. I will be surprised if we courtesan, making his succession ques- don’t see the orphaned boy-general again. tionable. Delm is slain. The politics and He has come of age as a warrior. Kearney wars continue. The Throne Price will is a voice to watch for as well as read. - continue the saga. Pam Allan The Okal Rel saga is a complex and meticulously detailed world that still Crusade carries you through the intrigues and by Taylor Anderson subtle skirmishes.. Well-worth the read, Roc, 380 pp, $23.95 even though reading the prior two would be advisable. You’ll want to collect the Crusade continues the Destroyerman series. - Pam Allan series begun with Destroyermen: Iinto the who tried to help them. But the new Storm. Dead Reign settlers encroached and eventually, the The Walker is a World War II de- by T. A. Pratt passive species struck back and war stroyer that is transferred through a rift Bantam Spectra, 321 pp, $6.99 ensued. into an alternate universe. Here they have As dominance switches back and chosen to join forces with the Lemurians Dead Reign continues the Marla forth, the transferring of minds is learned in their war to survive extinction at the Mason series. and walking the mile in their shoes hands of the reptilian Grik. Marla Mason is the chief sorcerer of love life. Lugh, demon king, has been begins to find ways to know the other The Lemurians are vastly outnum- Felport. Things are going pretty well until prying into everything and won’t take no species. Each transfer is a character-based for an answer. Morgan finds herself in a story of its own and is written so that power struggle that could have devastat- becomes difficult to put down. It is not ing consequences for both demon and until the final chapter the experiment is human worlds, and her own survival. revealed. Black has created a world in which This is a must read for its understand- human and demons interact. The sassy, ing of culture, and cultural bias while kick-ass heroine, good secondary providing an exciting story. Recom- characters including a sexy, if question- mended. - Pam Allan able , hero and a nice blend of action, mystery and romance that will keep her Quofum growing fandom standing in line for each A Novel of the Commonwealth new volume. - Pam Allan by Alan Dean Foster Del Rey, $25.00; 304 pp.

This volume is touted as a tie-in for the final Pip and Flinx novel. I think that this will make for a very interesting denouement to the series. ( Cont’d on page 21 ) Page 20 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 In Our Book ( Cont’d from page 20 ) seventy-eight-year-old senior he jumps at of pace. A profound novel of relation- But he has also made his home available the chance of regaining his youth. His ships, and the effect of technology and to those who seek the help of the woman Misspent Youth eighteen-year-old son, and his trophy politics on the world, It remains a fast- he loves. One is straight out of Phantom by Peter F. Hamilton wife await. paced enjoyable read. Grab this one, of the Opera. This treatment will stress Del Rey, 403 pp, $26.00 When he comes out of the rejuvena- you’ll enjoy reading what it has to say. - the bond between Vampire Lord and Dr. tion tank he is twenty, with the libido to Pam Allan Key just when a determined enemy Peter F. Hamilton is also the author of match. He steals his son’s lover and returns to destroy Gillian and those she The Dreaming Void Pandora’s Box, and makes her pregnant. As Jeff’s life spirals Caine Black Knife holds most dear. among others. out of control, the European Union dives by Matthew Stover The Key Series are roller coaster rides It is 2040 and it appears that reversing into meltdown under attack by shadowy Del Ray, 341 pp. $14.00 with action, engaging the mind and the old age is at hand. The first subject is Jeff Separatist groups. Jeff’s rejuvenation following the growing romance in the Baker - inventor of Solid Crystal Memory turns into a dying parallel to the union. Caine Black Knife is a continuation of paranormal world. The series are not only Storage which, un-patented, wiped out You don’t expect the usual from Stover’s Caine series. a romp with good characters and tight much of the economy at the time. Now a Hamilton, and Misspent Youth is a change Caine is a street thug turned superstar plotting, they can be addictive. So in a future where reality shows are taking Vampire lovers, ENJOY. - Pam Allan place in another dimension, one where City of Jade magic exists and gods by Dennis L. McKiernan are up close and Roc. 350 pp, $23.95 personal. Caine is an assassin, a living City of Jade is a continuation of the legend born of defeat- Mithgar series. ing the Black Knives The myth of a lost city carved of virtually single- precious jade has called many in Mithgar; handedly. But the truth but now, Aravan, captain of the Elvenship of the bloody adventure Eroean has undertaken the quest. Com- has not been revealed manding the crew of men and dwarves, till now and provides a and with his love Aylis, the magekind card to play against the Seer, the Eroean sets out to follow the board of directors that legend. control the adventures - The journey is long and perilous. and (they think) Caine. The darkest dreams of Phillip K. Dick are realized. And one can see the current reality shows like Survivor expanding to a new genre when the technology becomes available. This said, Caine provides enough action to keep the reader involved, with the interesting charac- terization of Caine. - Pam Allan

Key to Redemption by Talia Gryphon Ace, 298 pp, $7.99 More awaits them than treasure. They sail Key to Redemption into the midst of Dark Sorcery and death. continues the series This is classic Tolkienesque fantasy , including Key to well written and engrossing, and full of Conflict, and Key to action, magic and characters you love. Conspiracy. And it would appear Aravan will return to Gillian Key is a tell us what lies at the end of the world fighter and a healer, but and beyond. As he sails off with his now the Marine Corps restocked crew. I, for one will look takes a backseat to forward to it. Mithgar, and this book Paramortal psychology. deserve a place in everyone’s fantasy As the Vampire wars Library. - Pam Allan rage, there are those who need her special touch to make them whole. In Romania, Vampire Lord Aleksei Rachlav has turned his estate into headquarters for those who stand against Dracula’s army. Volume 18 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 21 call the BBS, or write to: LSS c/o R. Martin; If you have any questions email us at various outings. For information, contact 2522 N. Sparkman Blvd.; Tucson, AZ 85716 [email protected]. PFFS, P.O. Box 34023, Phoenix, AZ 85067 or Club Listings call David Storck at (602) 274_7404, e-mail: ACROSS PLUS - So you live in North BASFA Local Tucson science fiction group THE JEDI KNIGHTS (Founded 1977) Menzeez@.com. Phoenix and are interested in anime? Well that puts on TusCon. Contact us at PO Box Meetings are the 3rd Sunday of each month. there is a club out there available for you 2528, Tucson AZ 85702-2528 or For more information call Carol Alves, RAGE ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST A people. [email protected] Publicity, (760)244-9593 or write Jedi Live Action Theatre Troupe based out of the Across Plus is a social club that discuses our website at http://home.earthlink.net/ Knights, c/o Carol Alves 8038 “I” Street, ASU campus in Tempe, AZ. It is dedicated to anime, video games, manga, other animation, ~basfa/ Hesperia CA, 92345-7066. the game Werewolf: The Apocalypse by and the Japanese culture. We meet at White Wolf publishing. Contact Mike Bookman’s on 19th Ave and Northern on CENTRAL ARIZONA SPECULATIVE LEPRECON, INC. One of the two Phoenix McLaughlin at (602)461-5842 or write 1730 Sundays at 7:00pm until 9:00pm. FICTION SOCIETY, INC. (CASFS) The area corporations that put on yearly conven- W Emelita Place #2025, Mesa AZ 85202- In general, we explore anime, manga, and non-profit corporation that puts on tions. Best described as SF/F generalists with 3144 or [email protected] other styles of animation, creative educative CopperCon conventions, SmurfCons, a main thrust into SF/F art. Guests are demonstrations, participate in interactive HexaCons, occasional regional cons, and welcome. The meetings are quarterly on the RAW GAMES (Role-players & discussions, attend local Arizona conventions, publishes Con-Notations. Best described as second Saturday of February, May, August & Wargamers, Inc.) Role-players & and make cosplay. SF/F generalists with a strong bent towards November unless otherwise notified. August Wargamers, Inc. is the Valley’s oldest role- We are willing to gain any new members out literary SF/F. Guests welcome - meets at 8pm is the annual meeting where board positions playing and wargaming club. Currently there who are interested. Our members are on the last Friday of each month in January are deter-mined. For more information, write meeting at 8159 W. Weldon in Phoenix every very friendly, respectful, and fun. We thru September and the second Friday in PO Box 26665, Tempe, AZ 85285; call Mike Sunday from 12noon-5pm (except during welcome any and all. October, November and December at JB’s Willmoth, 480-945-6890, Email conventions and other special events). Open For more information, contact Shane Bryner Restaurant, 1818 W Montebello in Phoenix, [email protected] Webpage: to new members - call (623) 849-9515. at [email protected] AZ. For information: write PO Box 62613, www.leprecon.org Phoenix, AZ 85082-2613 or email SHIELD OF ALMOR The Shield of Almor ADRIAN EMPIRE A medieval and renais- [email protected] Web www.casfs.org MIB The Men in Black is the official global is a RPGA club located in the greater Phoenix sance recreationist club. Sword-fighting, arts, organization of field operatives for Steve area. If you are interested in Living Greyhawk banquets, masquerades, dances. meets every *****C.R.O.F.T. Celtic Reenactment of Jackson Games. We attend local conventions catch one of our meetings the 1st Sunday of Wednesday night from 7-10pm at Encanto Fellowship and Trades is Phoenix based to demonstrate and promote products of Steve every month at Imperial Outpost Games Park. All are welcome. Free. Reenactment group specializing in the Jackson Games. We also schedule demos in (www.imperialoutpost.com) in Glendale. If western European renaissance. We research local gaming stores as well as community you are interested in Living Arcanis or Living AERIAL MIRAGE JUGGLERS. Meets lifestyles and trades concurrent with the service events. If you have a gaming store, Spycraft catch us on the 3rd Sunday of every Wednesday 7-10pm in Encanto Park, 15th Celtic Peoples from 400 BC until 1746 AD. convention, or community service that you month also at Imperial Outpost Games. The Avenue, south of Encanto. No dues, everyone We emphasize Scots, Irish or Welsh crafts and would like to have official Steve Jackson Shield of Almor hosts RPGA events at the welcome. All levels skill exchange in many do Celtic re-enactment. We open participation Games representation at, please contact the local Phoenix conventions. For more areas of object manipulation Dave Davis to anyone with an interest in period crafting MIB Arizona Cell information visit us at , 602-955-9446; and entertainment. Demonstrations occur at Leader at [email protected]. We are also games.groups.yahoo.com/group/AZ_RPG/ or or Ron Harvey , 480- the Highland Games, Scarborough Fair, and recruiting new MIBs in some areas of you can sign up for games at 775-4690 for more info or impromptu the Arizona Renaissance Festival. Web page Arizona. If you’re interested, contact us. You www.nyrond.org. Or you can just stop by the juggling sessions. http://www.crofters.org We meet in Tempe at can find additional information about the 1st Sunday of the month. Meeting starts at the Pyle Adult Center SW corner of Rural and Arizona MIB at our website http:// 10am. Hope to see you there. ARIZONA LANBASHERS LEAGUE A Southern on the 2nd Saturday of every month, members.cox.net/mib.6361/ collaboration of computer gaming enthusiasts, phone number (480)350-5211. The Board THE SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE the Arizona LANbashers League throws meeting will be at 2:00 pm with the General MVD GHOSTCHASERS—The MVD ANACHRONISM The kingdom of Atenveldt quarterly LANparty events. Between parties, meeting starting at 2:30 pm. Ghostchasers are a paranormal team doth lie in the state of Arizona. Within the fair support is given to local groups who wish to established in 1995. This band of ghost kingdom can be found six Baronies: advertise their own gatherings. We have no THE DARK ONES (Dark-wunz) n. 1) An hunters conducts regular investigations of Atenveldt, Mons Tonitrus, Twin Moons, set genre of games and play anything from organization formed for the expression and haunted, historical locations throughout SunDragon, Tir Ysgithr and Ered Sul. For strategy games to first-person shooters to exploration of various cultural themes Arizona. They also research and investigate more information on any of these or for driving/flying simulations. No annual including, but not limited to, the Dark Ages “house call” hauntings for the public. The general information on contact the Kingdom membership is required and admission to an and the Renaissance through forms of art MVD Ghostchasers lead Spirit Photo Seneschal. Email: [email protected] event ranges from $5-$15. See our webpage including, but not limited to, painting, Workshops/Tours to various haunted locations Web www.atenveldt.com for current events. Email: drawing, writing, photography, spoken word, across Arizona. These workshops give ghost [email protected] Web: and acts of characterization. 2) a member of hunters, paranormal team members and folks SOUTHWEST COSTUMER’S GUILD The www.lanparty.com/all/ VoiceMail: 602-306- this organization. 3) Information available at wanting to learn the art of ghost hunting a Southwest Costumers Guild is a loose 9339 www.darkones.org chance to work and learn techniques together. organization of persons interested in all facets The MVD Ghostchasers team are guest of historical, cultural, science fiction, fantasy, ARIZONA PARANORMAL THE EMPIRE OF CHIVALRY AND speakers at many venues and have appeared and humor costume. Members are often seen INVESTIGATIONS We are a highly STEEL, INC. The Empire of Chivalry and on TV news reports and the subject of several on stage and behind the scenes at local and trained, non-profit paranormal investigation Steel specializes in the general recreation of newspaper stories. For more information regional Science Fiction Convention group, registered with the state of Arizona, the culture of the Middle Ages including all of contact: masquerades. They meet on the last Sunday of providing service to Arizona and the the Art Forms, Events (Feasts, Tournaments, MVD Ghostchasers—Debe Branning, each month at various members’ homes in the Southwest since 1994. Having served the Ceremonies and Wars) and Combat Arts Director—480-969-4049 Web page: greater Phoenix area. For details. Southwest public for 12 years, we are one of the oldest, covering the years of 800AD up to 1650AD www.mvdghostchasers.com or Costumers Guild, PO Box 39504, Phoenix, most respected paranormal investigation and any location within Europe or its explored [email protected] AZ 85609 or Randall Whitlock at groups in Arizona. We are primarily science territories. For more information contact [email protected] or based and don’t go on an investigation Leonard Byrd (Tucson) (520)742-2432 Web: ORANGE COUNTY SCIENCE FICTION www.southwestcostumersguild.org looking for ghosts, we go looking for www.galandor.org CLUB meets last Wednesday of every month answers. There is never a charge for an (except Dec.) in Fullerton. The meetings are SPACE ACCESS SOCIETY Space Access investigation. Contact us at by e-mail at A GATHERING OF PLAYERS-Find Your built around guest speakers. We’ve had Society’s sole purpose is to promote radically [email protected] or Adventure authors such as Octavia Butler and Greg cheaper access to space, ASAP. We think it’s visit our website at: http:// Our club is running into our fourth year. Join Benford. Non-members are welcome. For possible within ten years, with a little luck www.arizonaparanormalinvestigations.com/ us for games and adventure set in the details of current events and location see our and a lot of hard work. Join us and help us Dungeons and Dragons realm. We offer website www.ocsfc.org or email make it happen! SAS membership is $30 for THE AWAY TEAM: The Away Team, is a Living Greyhawk and Xen’drik Expeditions. [email protected] one year, which gets you emailed Space general sci-fi appreciation group that meets Visit http://www.warhorn.net/gathering, to see Access Updates the instant they pass final once a month for discussion of various sci-fi what we have coming up. PAReX is a non profit organization dedicated edit, plus discounts on our annual conference news regarding several mediums to include: We will have character creation sessions to to building and promoting Autonomous on the technology, politics, and business of television, movies, video, books, comics, get you started and answer all questions. Our robotics. The club has been in existance since radically cheaper space transportation, magazines, collecting, and so forth. The group has been together, and growing, for 1998. Meetings are currently conducted twice featuring leading players in the field. Email meetings are comprised of news, review and four years. We’re a good group of friends that a month at two different Phoenix, Arizona us at: [email protected] comment, BBS/computer news and help, believe in gaming fun first. Our member locations, http://www.parex.org/ Web page: www.space-access.org/ meeting new members, video presentations, group’s ages range from 13 to 49. meetings.shtml. Club dues are on an annual games, and socializing fun! Food and drinks We welcome both new and experienced basis: Regular members $20 Student members SUPERSTITION SPACEMODELING are provided, via a $3 munchie fee (per players. $15 Of course visitors are always welcome SOCIETY is Arizona’s club for builders of meeting) to compensate the host. (No other 10:00 a.m. Character Creation - We will have because we know you will eventually become model and high-power rockets and those who fees are involved.) The electronic home of the a session to create characters for all of the a member anyway Web page: http:// love to see them . Launches are held on the Away Team, is the Lightspeed Space Station campaigns we run. AGoP will have all books www.parex.org/ E-mail Contact: second Saturday morning of each month in BBS at (520) 325-6674.... Member ages for available for reference. We encourage you to [email protected] Rainbow Valley. SSS hosts the annual G. the group range from 13-40-something with purchase the books if you like the game. All Harry Stine Memorial Rocket Launch every both male and female members. Other character materials are provided; character THE PHOENIX FANTASY FILM SOCI- October. Visit www.sssrocketry.org for activities include null-modem link gamefests, sheets, master item logs, adventure records, ETY A Phoenix based club interest-ed in the membership information, directions to the group theater movie viewings, convention etc. Dice will be loaned to you if you don’t entire realm of SF, Fantasy and Horror film. launches and meetings, and to read the trips and more. Have sci-fi fun in a relaxed, have any yet. In other words, all that is PFFS has been in existence for 30 years, monthly newsletter, “Newton’s Minutes.” low-structure environment. NO RUBBER needed for the first day is for you to join meeting every 6 weeks in member’s homes. EARS ALLOWED!! For questions, you can us and have fun. Dues are $10 per year. Membership includes newsletters, an annual film awards and ( Cont’d on page 23 ) Page 22 ConNotations Volume 18 Issue 6 activities with the hope that they will become Club Listings ( Cont’d from page 22 ) CASFS Business Report interested in Star Trek and join STARFLEET Convention TARDIS is a Phoenix-based General SF/ as officers. Fantasy Fan Club, specializing in Interna- The USS Leonidas has a crew of 30. Starfleet September tional media SF/Fantasy since 1983. TARDIS Science and Tactical Academy has 52 cadets. Listings meets every two weeks at different locations Members age from 14-65 years old. Average The sheds were sold to Nola Yergen- around the valley. Activities include watching age is 20-25. PHOENIX COMICON (January 23-25, Jennings and one of them will be leased videos, discussions, parties, games, and Club meeting locations vary due to scheduled 2009) Mesa Convention Center Mesa AZ back to CASFS for a nominal rent. The occasional outings with more to come now away missions and such, but usually meet in a Expanding our show to a full THREE days sheds have been moved and our stuff that Doctor Who is returning from hiatus. classroom at Apache Junction High School. (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) with a Many members maintain an active presence at Membership with Starfleet International is Thursday Preview Night. Guests include Gil resides in the one shed. The materials conventions. You can contact us at 2243 W required. www.sfi.org Upon joining Gerard, Erin Gray, Marina Sirtis, Wil belonging to LepreCon Inc. will now be Wagon Wheel Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85021, Voice STARFLEET a member is a Cadet. Upon Mail at (602) 864-0901, E-mail TARDIS- passing the Officer’s Training School Exam at Wheaton, Kevin J Anderson and many more. stored by them. [email protected] or visit us at http:// the Online Academy, the member becomes a Events include Art Auction, Masquerade, CopperCon 28 is over and everyone had members.cox.net/tardisaz/tardis.html Commissioned Officer aboard the Leonidas. Zombie Beauty Contest, Film Festival Kids fun. There were 429 members. Finances The chapter does not have dues as of yet. The 12 years and younger now get in for free with TEKWAR FAN CLUB Sanctioned by the dues to be a member of STARFLEET a paid adult membership. To register or for are better than anticipated with final series’ production companies and the USA International are $15 a year. more information go to the web site at figures to be given at the October Network! It is THE information No newsletter, but members do receive an www.phoenixcomicon.com meeting. between the fans and the series! Fan club activities E-mail update. No web site yet. membership will bring you the following 1) There was much discussion on what to do Contact : Jonathan Krieger, 480-677-0269, ANIZONA 2009 (April 10-12, 2009) subscription to the info filled Tek Informer [email protected] with the Grace Inn contract for 2009 with Embassy Suites Paradise Valley/Scottsdale, newsletter; 2) official TekWar Fan Club the final decision being to give the membership card and kit. Membership is by USS STORMBRINGER The Stormbringer is Phoenix, AZ. Guests Toybox. Karaoke, regular mail only and the newsletter and a correspondence Star Trek fan club chapter Cosplay, game room, viewing room, panels, contract to WesternSFA pending approval materials will not be reproduced electroni- of Starfleet, Intl. based out of Tucson AZ. dance, Artist Alley and much more. Member- of the terms by both the hotel and the cally. To join the action and initiate your The chapter was commissioned as the USS ships $20 thru 03/31/2009. MEMBERSHIP membership. annual membership, make check or money Stormbringer NCC-74213, attached to CAPPED AT 1000. For more info - order out for $12.50 to: Official TekWar Fan Division 31, Starfleet Covert Operations, on www.anizona.org or [email protected] Club (Membership section), 2522 N 10/31/98. As of 11/29/98 there were 32 October Sparkman Blvd., Tucson AZ 85716-2417 members. There are no dues other than the RandomCon (May 8-10, 2009) a NEW CopperCon 28 did better than expected. It $15 for joining Star-fleet Intl.. Members are T.H.E.M. is ASU’s science fiction and scattered world wide but the primary clusters gaming convention to be held at The Grace had enough room nights to reduce the fantasy club. Weekly meetings are held on the are in Tucson, AZ and Plano, TX. They don’t Inn, 10831 S 51st St, Phoenix, AZ 85044, function space costs to $3500.00. It Arizona State University campus, with dates meet on a regular basis since they are a (480) 893-3000, ww.graceinn.com Our rates managed to pay all of its direct and places to be announced after the semester correspondence chapter. Their web site is: are $75 S/D, $85 T, $95/ Q. For our games we starts. For more information, Email http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/9505/ plan to have AmberDRPG - based on the convention expenses and to return half of [email protected] Web and their contact/CO is Capt. Dave Pitts, works of Roger Zelazny known to fans the seed money. It did not pay its turn www.themonline.org [email protected] worldwide as “The Chronicles of Amber” back to CASFS Main Account nor can it RPGA - Preliminary plans include Living TUCSON FAN ALLIANCE E-Mail Address pay for the pass-thrus to 2010. WESTERN SCIENCE FICTION ASSO- Forgotten Realms, Arcanis and Pathfinder. is [email protected] or CIATION (WesternSFA) A non-profit Nonetheless be assured that CopperCon Console Gaming - Preliminary plans include [email protected] corporation that sponsors AniZona, the 2010 will honor the pass-thrus. ConRunners seminars, Across Plus Anime Rock Star, DDR and Supersmash Brothers. UNITED FEDERATION OF PHOENIX A Club and sponsored the 2004 Westercon. There will be a consuite and a small dealer CASFS voted to approve the agreement Phoenix area Star Trek and general SciFi fan Dedicated primarily to educational activities room. Cost is $15 until December 31, 2008, between CASFS and WesternSFA to club. We are a social club that meets every relating to literature, music, and visual and $20 Jan 1 to April 30, 2009 and $25 at the transfer the Grace Inn contract to two weeks at various locations around the performing arts, especially in the genres of door. Pay now via Paypal on our web site at WesternSFA for new event. WesternSFA Phoenix area. The UFP has been meeting for Anime, science fiction, fantasy, costuming, www.randomcon.org or mail check or money over 30 years of continuous activity. Dues are gaming and science. Applicants for member- order to RandomCon, PO Box 67457, will share a percentage of the profits, if $15/per year prorated when you join; no ship in WesternSFA must be sponsored by a Phoenix AZ 85082. Check our web site for any, with CASFS. restrictions. Membership includes member- current active WesternSFA member. Dues are ship roster and monthly newsletter. Come to $10 yearly plus a $5 non-refundable applica- updates or contact us at [email protected] The CASFS membership voted to adopt any two meetings at no obligation. For tion fee. General Meetings are held on the an austerity budget in order to give information, write the UFP at PO Box 37224, first Friday of February, May, August and AdventureCon, (May 30-31, 2009) Univer- CopperCon 2010 the best chance to Phoenix, AZ 85069, or call Jim Strait at (602) November, check our website for meeting sity of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ - 242-9203. Web page: http://www.U-F-P.org location Guests are welcome. For more info Comic artists, dealers, costuming and succeed. or Email to [email protected] contact Craig Dyer at WesternSFA, PO Box celebrities including Danielle Harris, David The president created a Steering 67457, Phoenix AZ 85082 Email: Prowse, Kevin Sorbo, Neil Kaplan, James Committee to figure out what direction USS LEONIDAS The Leonidas is a member [email protected] Webpage: O’Barr, Arthur Suydam, MarkTexeira of Region IV of STARFLEET International. www.westernsfa.org CASFS wants to take in the future. The chapter is an opportunity for those that www.adventurecon.com share a love of Star Trek to have fun and help Z-PHILES are the ariZona x-PHILES. We the community at the same time. The maintain a mailing list for news and get- FiestaCon (Westercon 62) ( July 2-5, 2009) Leonidas stresses uniforms or other costumes togethers of fans of the X-Files living in Tempe Mission Palms, Tempe, AZ. 60 East to have the ability to participate actively in Arizona. We get together in both the Phoenix Fifth Street, Tempe, Arizona 85281 Artist various events as they present themselves but and Tucson areas. To subscribe, send an GoH: Todd Lockwood, Author GoH: Alan What is CASFS? they are not required. empty message to z-philes- In an effort to expand membership the USS [email protected] Dean Foster, Editor GoH Stanley Schmidt, What is really behind putting on a Leonidas has assisted in the formation of a Fan GoHs: Jim and Doreen Webbert, convention? What are the funds raised by High School Star Trek club called the Toastmasters: Partick and Teresa Nielsen a convention used for? Why not attend a STARFLEET Science and Tactical Academy. Hayden. FiestaCon is also hosting the 1632 meeting and find out? We’re the sponsor Students participate in a wide range of Minicon with Eric Flint. Memberships $70 of ConNotations, CopperCons, Hexa- thru 12/31/08, $75 thru 3/31/09, more later. Cons, SmerfCons and other conventions. Generic Convention Registration Form Phone: 480-945-6890 Write: FiestaCon, c/o We are a charitable, non-profit organiza- Leprecon, Inc., PO Box 26665 Tempe, AZ tion that exists to further science fiction, 85285, Email: [email protected] web: fantasy and science fields in Arizona. Name:______www.fiestacon.org CASFS currently meets at the JB’s Restaurant at 1818 W Montebello in Badge Name:______North American Discworld Convention Phoenix The meetings begin at 8PM and Address:______(Sept 4-7, 2009) Tempe Mission Palms, are held on the last Friday of the month Tempe, AZ. 60 East Fifth Street, Tempe, Jan. through Sept. and on the second City/State/ZIP:______Arizona 85281 Guests: Terry Pratchett, Diane Friday of the month Oct through Dec. Duane, Peter Morwood, Esther M. Friesner Everyone is invited to attend two Phone:______Email:______and Bernard Pearson. Memberships $80 thru meetings as a guest (non-member). Membership rates are $12/year plus an 3/31/09, more later. Phone: 480-945-6890 Enclosed is $______for ______memberships for initial $3 application fee and rates are Write: NADWCon, c/o Leprecon, Inc., PO pro-rated for the amount of the year ______convention. Box 26665 Tempe, AZ 85285, Email: remaining. For more info: Webpage: [email protected] Web: www.nadwcon.org (See individual convention listing for mailing address) www.casfs.org Email: [email protected] More info on __ Masquerade __Art Show __Volunteer __ Other

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