Brum Group News The Monthly Newsletter of the BIRMINGHAM GROUP APRIL 2018 Issue 559 Honorary President: CHRISTOPHER PRIEST

Committee: Vernon Brown (Chairman); Pat Brown (Treasurer); Dave Corby (publicity Officer); Theresa Derwin (ordinary member); Carol Goodwin (Newsletter Editor); William McCabe (Website); Novacon 48 Chair: Dave hicks website: Email: www.birminghamsfgroup.org.uk/ [email protected] Facebook: Twitter: www.facebook.com/groups/BirminghamSFGroup/ @BirminghamSF

MICHAEL CAREY April 13th This month’s guest is script-writer and author, Michael Carey. Mike Carey is a BAFTA-nominated screenwriter, novelist and comic book writer. Born in Liverpool, he worked as a teacher for fifteen years before resigning to write full-time. He wrote the movie adaptation for his post-apocalyptic novel

May 11th – SF author and BSFG member, Janet Edwards. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS, parts of which were filmed around Birmingham. The movie opened the Locarno festival in 2016 and was in competition at Toronto’s Midnight Madness. Mike has worked extensively in the field of comic books, completing long and critically acclaimed runs on Lucifer, Hellblazer and X-Men. His comic book series The Unwritten has featured repeatedly in the New York Times' graphic novel bestseller list. He is currently writing a series for Dynamite Entertainment featuring the sci-fi icon Barbarella. He is also the writer of the Felix Castor novels, and (along with his wife Linda and their daughter Louise) of two fantasy novels, THE CITY OF SILK AND STEEL and THE HOUSE OF WAR AND WITNESS, (published in the UK by Victor Gollancz and in America by Chizine Press). His most recent novel, published in April 2017, is THE BOY ON THE BRIDGE, a stand-alone novel set in the same world as THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS. To top it off, instead of our normal raffle, we have an extra- special set of prizes including SF Books, some Cthulhu goodies and more importantly, comics and books signed by Mike himself, including a signed copy of his latest book, THE BOY ON THE BRIDGE. CG

The meeting will take place in the conference room on the first floor of The Briar Rose Hotel, Bennetts Hill, off New Street.

The doors open at 7.30pm and the meeting will normally commence at 8.00pm so please arrive early, get your drinks from the bar on the ground floor, and be seated in plenty of time. The entrance fee for our January AGM is free and the August and December socials are ticket only events. All other meetings the entrance fee is £3 for members and £4 for non-members.

HONORARY PRESIDENT – Christopher Priest. As discussed at the AGM, author and long-time friend to the Birmingham SF Group, Christopher Priest was approached to be our Honorary President. The Committee are pleased to report that he has graciously accepted. His response is printed below.

2 “Dear BSFG Thanks so much for your invitation to become your new President. I feel honoured ... and slightly overcome. I follow in the footsteps of great men. I'm afraid I can never be as erudite as Brian Aldiss, or as funny as Harry Harrison ... nor can I be as amusing as Brian or as wise as Harry. I'm as tall as Brian, though -- that might count for something? Whatever, I will do my best and try not to be overshadowed by my eminent predecessors.

Love to you all Chris”

RETURN OF ANSIBLE MAILINGS Unfortunately, last year when we had to move to a new print firm for the newsletter, we had to suspend mailing out Ansible due to increased cost. The feedback from some members has been that this is missed and we can happily announce that starting with this issue, Ansible will again be included in the mailing. This has been possible thanks to the kindness of members Ian and Lou Morley who have kindly agreed to sponsor the printing costs. In exchange, we have agreed to advertise their book selling and buying business, Durdles Books (starting from next month). The website address is www.durdlesbooks.com and specialises in SF/Fantasy. Please take the time to look at their extensive stock if you are looking to buy a book. Also, if anyone is interested in selling some of their books, please consider contacting Ian (either at a meeting or via the website) for a no-obligation quote. CG

AN AFTERNOON (AND EVENING) WITH BRIAN ALDISS On April 20th Pat and I went to Oxford to attend “An Afternoon with Brian Aldiss”, two events about Brian to be held at the Weston Library Lecture Theatre, part of the Bodleian Library. These were ticketed events; open to the public, but we had also been invited to a reception to be held elsewhere in the same building that evening to celebrate his life and work.

3 Arriving in Oxford just before mid-day we took a taxi to the Weston Library to familiarise ourselves with the layout before finding a nearby pub for lunch. Returning early to the Library for the 2 pm event “A Celebration of the Life and Work of Brian Aldiss” we sat in a good position to hear Chris Priest and others talk of Brian, after an introduction to the afternoon’s events by Samuel Fanous of the Bodleian Library, the repository of the Aldiss papers. Robin Straus, his US agent since the early 1980s, and Chris led the discussions while Brian’s grandson, Thomas Lodge and Petronilla Whitfield, one of his collaborators, read excerpts from some of his stories. To punctuate the session an old television interview with Brian was shown in which he spoke amusingly about a subject not mentioned in polite society, and a message from Michael Moorcock was read. A little later, I don’t remember why, Ella Fitzgerald’s “Cow Cow Boogie” was played. The session lasted just over an hour and it was only later that we realised that we had been so engrossed in it that we had forgotten to take any photographs. After a break the next event “Science Fiction as Literature” began at 4 pm. Although we arrived early others had arrived even earlier so we didn’t get our preferred seats; by the time the event started the theatre was full, as it was for the first one – I believe that both were sold out. This time the panellists were not SF specialists/experts: Claire Armitstead was associate editor on culture for The Guardian; Philip Pullman, a children’s and fantasy author; and Dr Sophie Ratcliffe, an expert in 19th century literature who

4 was also a friend of Brian’s. But they all had a keen interest in his work. The discussion covered many aspects of SF and its possible boundaries. Does it have to be set in space or include aliens or future technology? How plausible must it be and how realistic should an SF book’s cover painting be? Brian’s works were frequently spoken of, as well as his consideration of Mary Shelley and Frankenstein to be the first truly demonstrable SF story. At one point Chris Priest entered the discussion (picture 1) with some interesting observations so all in all enough material for a book on the subject was put forward. It certainly made the audience think – the question & answer session that followed showed how engaged they were in the proceedings. The reception that evening ran from 6 to 8 pm in Blackwell Hall in the Weston Library, a large hall that allowed people to circulate easily. The event was essentially two hours of social conversation with Brian, his work and science fiction at its heart, with a few mini-speeches about Brian by members of his family (picture 2, his daughter Wendy) and friends. Among those present were past Group speakers Andy Sawyer and Dave Lally (picture 3) and Dave Langford. The evening passed smoothly with conversations fuelled by waiters carrying trays of small cocktail savouries and the occasional Cava until suddenly it was time to go. From what was said as people went it was obvious that everyone appreciated how things had gone and I am sure that Brian would have felt the same way. Pat and I tendered our thanks and walked into Oxford to catch a taxi to the station and our train home. In their separate ways the afternoon and evening celebrations of Brian’s life and work had shown how much he was appreciated by those who knew him, worked with him or perhaps only knew him through his works. The day had been a success! VB

5 BRITISH SCIENCE FICTION AWARDS The winners of the BSFA Awards were announced at Follycon (Eastercon) in Harrogate on the 31st March.

Best Novel: by Nina Allan (Titan Books) Best Short Fiction: THE ENCLAVE by Anne Charnock (NewCon Press). Best Artwork: Tied Jim Burns for the cover of THE ION RAIDER by Ian Whates (NewCon Press). Victo Ngai for illustration of WAITING ON A BRIGHT MOON by J Y Yang (Tor.com) Best Non-Fiction: IAIN M BANKS by Paul Kincaid (University of Illinois Press)

HUGO AWARD NOMINATIONS The finalists for the Hugo Awards and the John W Campbell Award for Best New Writer were announced on 26th April. There was also a Retro Hugos shortlist for 1943. The final nominees for Best Novel are given below. (Full details of all categories are available at www.thehugoawards.org/).

BEST NOVEL NOMINEES PROVENANCE by Ann Leckie (Orbit) THE COLLAPSING EMPIRE by John Scalzi (Tor) THE STONE SKY by N K Jemisin (Orbit) NEW YORK 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson (Orbit) RAVEN STRATEGEM by Yoon Ha Lee (Solaris) SIX WAKES by Mur Lafferty (Orbit)

BEST 1943 NOVEL NOMINEES THE UNINVITED by Dorothy Macardle (Doubleday) BEYOND THIS HORIZON by Anson MacDonald (Robert Heinlein pseudonym) (Astounding Science-Fiction 4-5/42) DONOVAN’S BRAIN by Curt Siodmak (Black Mask 9-11/42) SECOND STAGE LENSMEN by E E “Doc” Smith (Astounding Science Fiction, 11/41 – 2/42) DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT by Olaf Stapledon (Metheun) ISLANDIA by Austin Tappan Wright (Farrar & Rinehart) 6 NEW CINEMA FILM RELEASES Listings should not be necessarily taken as recommendations. Release dates are subject to change. View at your own peril!

GHOST STORIES – Release date April 6th. British Horror. Sceptical Professor investigates three cases of inexplicable hauntings

A QUIET PLACE – Release date April 6th. A family must live in silence when being chased by creatures that hunt by sound.

THE NEW MUTANTS – Release date April 13th. Five young mutants fight to escape a secret testing facility.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR – Release date April 26th. SF. Superheroes band together against arch villain, Thanos.

HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES – Release date May 11th. SF. An alien tourist meets two young inhabitants of Croydon (based on Neil Gaiman story). CG

FORTHCOMING BOOKS (NB Prices given are Recommended Retail Price and may be available at cheaper prices)

ONE WAY by S J Mordern / Gollancz / 336 pgs / £13.99 paperback / ISBN 978-1473222564 / April 10th. SF. Eight criminals building the first base on Mars – but one of them may be a murderer.

7 BEFORE MARS by Emma Newman / Gollancz / 352 pgs / £13.99 paperback / ISBN 978-1473223899 / April 19th. SF. Newly arrived on Mars, Anna Kubrin searches for truth – is she losing her mind or has she found a corporate conspiracy?

FROM DISTANT STARS (From Darkest Skies 2) by Sam Peters / Gollancz / 448 pgs / £16.99 hardback / ISBN 978-1473214781 / April 19th. SF. A deadly shooting in a high security hospital is linked to a mysterious alien object buried at the North Pole.

HEAD ON by John Scalzi / Tor / 336 pgs / £7.99 paperback / ISBN 978-1509835102 / April 19th. SF. The violent game of Hilketa is played with human-controlled robots. When a star athlete drops dead, is it accident or murder?

I STILL DREAM by James Smythe / The Borough Press / 400 pgs / £12.99 hardback / ISBN 978-0007541942 / April 21st. SF. 17-year old invents an AI, which grows with her, and which may be able to stop humanity from destroying itself.

KING OF ASHES (The Firemane Saga 1) by Raymond E Feist / HarperVoyager / 560 pgs / £20 hardback / ISBN 978-0007264858 / April 26th. The royal family of Ithrace were massacred, but a newborn is rumoured to have escaped who will return to take revenge.

THE BEAST’S HEART by Leife Shallcross / Hodder & Stoughton / 352 pgs / £20.99 hardback / ISBN 978-1473668706 / May 3rd. Retelling of Beauty and the Beast from the beast’s point of view. 8 THE RIG by Roger Levy / Titan Books / 464 pgs / £8.99 paperback / ISBN 978-1785655630 / May 8th. SF. The Rig is the centre of AfterLife, a social media platform with a chance of resurrection if you’re popular enough. CG

NEWS IN BRIEF .... Kate Wilhelm died on March 8th aged 89. She wrote more than 40 novels, mainly SF or mystery. Her first SF story “The Pint-Sized Genie” was published in 1956. Her short stories received over a dozen Nebula nominations (won three times) and four nominations for Hugo Awards. Her novels also received many nominations including receiving the Hugo and Locus Awards for her SF novel WHERE LATE THE SWEET BIRDS SANG. Her second marriage was to SF writer and editor, Damon Knight and she helped him to set up and run the Milford Writer’s Workshop starting in 1956. She was also involved in the US-based SFF Clarion Workshop and her writing guide STORYTELLER: WRITING LESSONS AND MORE FROM 27 YEARS OF THE CLARION WRITER’S WORKSHOP won a Hugo Award in 2005. She was inducted into the SF Hall of Fame in 2003 and won a Solstice Award in 2009 for her impact on speculative fiction. The Solstice Award was renamed the Kate Wilhelm Award in her honour in 2016 …. Editor, author and critic Peter Nicholls died on March 6th. He was the creator and editor of THE SCIENCE FICTION ENCYCLOPEDIA which won a Hugo Award for the first edition and he won further Hugos for the second and third editions. He also won a Pilgrim, an Eaton and a Peter McNamara Award for his non-fiction …. The Philip K Dick Award for best original SF paperback in the USA has been awarded to Carrie Vaughn for BANNERLESS and a special citation to AFTER THE FLARE by Deji Bryce Olukotun …. April 3rd marks the 50th Anniversary since the release of the SF film 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY …. Amazon TV has been reported as planning to spend around $1 billion to adapt the Hugo-Award winning novel, THE THREE BODY PROBLEM (and the two sequels) by Chinese author, Cixin Liu. CG

9 B O O K R E V I E W S  (REVIEWERS please note: - all reviews should be emailed direct to me at [email protected] Deadline for each issue is 14 days prior to the date of the monthly meeting)

THE BITTER TWINS (Winnowing Flame 2) by Jen Williams Headline / 624 pgs / £14.99 paperback / ISBN 978-1472235206 Reviewed by Carol Goodwin. Sequels are hard, both for the author but also to some extent for the reader. I find this is doubly so when the first novel has been one that I really enjoyed so there is an element of fear that it won’t be able to meet the high expectations raised by the first. Thankfully, in THE BITTER TWINS, Jen Williams has clearly risen to the challenge and yet again has written an intriguing and different fantasy story. In the first book (THE NINTH RAIN) we saw a world recovering from the periodic invasions of a mysterious non-human group called the Jure’lia. Actions taken during that first novel have led to the return of the Jure’lia but also of some of the magical warbeasts that have been the only effective resistance to them. However, this time things are very different. Both the Jure’lia and the warbeasts are weakened and depleted and it is clear that previous strategies will not work for either side. Now the Jure’lia and the opposing forces (of humans, Eborans and the warbeasts) must search for new resources and methods to enable them to succeed. In that search mistakes will be made by both sides, and new threats will appear. As with the previous novel, the characters continue to be a major strength in this novel. They are not perfect heroes or indeed villains, unlike many other fantasy stories, and they have character flaws which add to their verisimilitude but also drive some aspects of the story in a very consistent manner. The three main characters of Vintage, Noon and Tor continue to hold the reader’s interest and newer or minor characters are also well developed. In particular, I like the 10 growing relationship between the Eboran, Aldasair and the human, Berm and also the continued verbal sparring between Tor and Noon. Indeed, the realistic, unpretentious and often humorous dialogue is one of the highlights of the book. Unlike some traditional fantasy authors, Jen Williams also shows the personal consequences to her characters and is not afraid to put them through emotional and physical traumas and losses. In the previous story, the origin and biology of the Jure’lia and (to a lesser extent that of the Eborans) was not fully explained and was one of the different features of this book which I really liked. Here we start to unearth a little bit more although not everything and again this is an aspect that I really like. The plot also continues to move along towards an exciting climax at the end but with still lots to be resolved in the next volume. Once again if you are a fantasy fan, then I heartily recommend this book. CG (Review copy kindly donated by Headline)

RADIX OMNIUM MALUM & Other Incursions by Mike Chinn Parallel Universe Publications / 177 pgs / £9.99 paperback / ISBN 978- 1995717305 Reviewed by Pauline Morgan. Anyone who has heard of Mike Chinn will probably be familiar with either his steampunk versions of Sherlock Holmes or his Damian Paladin stories. Since the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are now out of copyright, there have been a number of stories and novels (of varying degrees of competence) using his character. Mike Chinn’s rank in the higher echelons of the sub-genre but there is a danger of them being lost. Damian Paladin has, so far, two collections devoted to his exploits and are well worth hunting down. Mike, though, has written and had published a wide range of other stories, some of which are included in this new volume. From a man who keeps guinea pigs they are often surprisingly dark. Devising ways to end the world, or at least human domination of it, is a favourite pastime of horror writers. ‘Radix Omnium Malus’ (loosely translates as ‘The Root of Evil’) is reminiscent of Brian Lumley’s ‘Fruiting Bodies’ but here the malicious growth has been magically invoked and is out of hand and is consuming everything. In ‘Blood Of Eden’ instead of an indestructible plant it is Dracula threatening world domination using corporate means. ‘Cheechee’s Out’

11 is the start of an alien invasion, with Cthulhu-type creatures taking over men in high positions. Inevitably, there will be collateral damage. Monsters of several varieties occur within a number of these stories. The trick is doing something new with them. In ‘Sons Of The Dragon’ the road builders in Romania encounter vampire worms and ‘Considering the Dead’ relates the history of Cthulhu, but the biggest monsters are human. ‘Kittens’ begins as an urban myth, this time the story of kittens being dumped in a glass recycling bin and morphs into serial killer nastiness. In ‘Only the Lonely’ the monster is a female sexual predator. Instead of being a warning for young girls it is the middle-aged man that needs to beware. One of the causes of people believing they have had supernatural encounters is anxiety. ‘Two Weeks From Saturday’ is one of those stories that anyone who has been reluctantly included in an event will understand. For Cliff it is the impossibility of writing a decent story for the writers’ meeting run by his boss’s son that creates nightmares. Grief, too, is an emotion that can affect the mind. ‘The Streets Of Crazy Cities’ demonstrates an extreme reaction that Martyn has after the death of wife, child and several other people that he knows. It is a story that initially misleads and shows the skill of the author in its construction. These and the others stories in this volume challenge the reader. They meld folklore and myth into, mostly, modern settings. There is one historical story there, ‘Suffer A Witch’ which demonstrates petty human jealousy and the danger of drawing conclusions. Like the characters it is unwise to assume that you have all the knowledge needed to understand the situation. In ‘The Pygmalion Conjuration’ both Dennis, who finds a conjuration to bring to life photographs of desirable women for sex, and Miss Grant, the librarian who pointed him towards the relevant book, find to their cost that they have missing information. Folklore doesn’t have to have an ancient pedigree. The urban myth behind ‘The Owl That Calls’ has a more recent genesis, but even 12 these may have some reality behind them as Tomas Ullerden discovers when expecting to debunk the sighting of a Mothman on Bodmin Moor. While many myths have their roots in a pagan or superstitious past, the coming of the steam age has imbued trains with a degree of mysticism, often involving death. Two train stories are included here. ‘Rescheduled’ sees Graeme having to go home to fetch the office keys and having distinct problems with trains, while in ‘The Mercy Seat’ Jim catches up with two friends from his youth. The memories revolve around the railway bridge by the station and the trains that run over it. Some of the stories in this volume need to be read more than once to find the subtleties in the story telling, but for anyone who wants to spend time with the uncanny and horrific they will find this volume contains gems. PM (Review copy kindly donated by Mike Chinn)

DOGS OF WAR by Adrian Tchaikovsky Head of Zeus / 352 pgs / £18.99 hardback / ISBN 978-1786693884 Reviewed by Carol Goodwin Having started as a fantasy author, Adrian Tchaikovsky has moved very successfully into also writing some excellent Science Fiction, including the Clarke-Award winning CHILDREN OF TIME and IRONCLADS. In this near future novel, genetically engineered “bioforms” are being trialled in war zones as specialised attack troops. Rex is the leader of a small pack of these bioforms. A chimera of dog and human genes, he is seven-foot-tall, bullet resistant and equipped with heavy weaponry and a voice designed to inspire fear. Conditioned to obey his Pack leader, the human Murray, all Rex wants is to be told he is a good dog and to follow his “Master’s” orders. However, when someone comes to investigate Murray and the private company, Redmark for possible war crimes, Rex and his small squad of bioforms find themselves on the run and operating without orders. As they struggle to survive and make sense of their world, they begin to question what exactly it means to be good and to wonder about the rightness of and responsibility for what they have done. If that wasn’t enough, in the latter part of the book, the narrative expands and positively fizzes with ideas such as considering the fate of all bioforms, the various possible directions of bioform development, their rights to freedom and self-direction and whether humanity can live with and accept them.

13 Despite all these high concept SF themes, it still retains an excellent and well-paced plot. Also, as I have come to expect with this author’s work, the characterisation and emotional complexity of the characters is first-rate. The author’s creativity and imagination are clearly illustrated in the various bioforms especially perhaps in the character of “Bees” – a distributed intelligence (or hive mind) composed of individual bees. Also, the members of Rex’s squad work well as a team both in their different tactical abilities and their personalities The concept of “upifted” animals is a concept that has been addressed previously in SF (David Brin) comes to mind, but this book really examines in detail the moral issues associated with the creation of intelligent “animals”. In the 200th-year anniversary of the publication of Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN, it is worth noting that this novel examines similar themes such as who should bear the onus for harmful actions – the created or the creator. However, on reading, I also found myself comparing it to Richard Adams work, in particular THE PLAGUE DOGS. Apart from the obviously similar themes, it also has that same high level of emotional impact that elevates this story to something that really stays with the reader. As always, an excellent story that works on many levels. CG

FORTHCOMING EVENTS All details are correct to the best of our knowledge, we advise contacting organizers before travelling. Any information about forthcoming SF/Fantasy/Horror events is always welcome – please send to Carol at [email protected] NOTE: Waterstones Birmingham have kindly agreed to a 50% discount on any of their events for Brum Group members. Just tell them you are a member when booking your place. WICKED the Musical, 4th - 29th April, Birmingham. Musical re- telling of WIZARD OF OZ from the Witch’s viewpoint. Hippodrome Theatre. Tickets from £28. Book at www.birminghamhippodrome.com 14 HOW TO GET PUBLISHED discussion, 19th April, Birmingham. Author Gillian McAllister & Laura Davis (CEO of Virtually Savvy) discuss how to get published & marketing yourself online. Waterstones 6:30pm. Free. At 0121 631 4353 or call instore.

SPACE ROCKS (in association with ESA), 22nd April, . A celebration of space exploration. Includes Tim Peake, astrophysicist Dr Maggie Lieu, Alastair Reynolds etc. At O2, London. Session prices & Info at http://spacerocksofficial.com/

RAYMOND E FEIST signing, 25th April, Birmingham. The author is signing KING OF ASHES. Waterstones 12:30 noon. Queue open from 11am. Free.

PLANET OF THE APES 50th Anniversary screening, 6th May. At the Electric Cinema. Tickets from £10.50. www.theelectric.co.uk or 0121 643 7879

CONVENTIONS and EXHIBITIONS SATELLITE 5, 25th – 27th May, Glasgow. Guest of Honour Paul McAuley. At the Crowne Plaza, Glasgow. Attending 70. Details at https://six.satellitex.org.uk/about

EDGE-LIT 7, 14th July, Derby. Literary SF/Fantasy festival. Guests of Honour Frances Hardinge & Paul Tremblay. Tickets £30 at www.derbyquad.co.uk/events/edge-lit-7.aspx

NINE WORLDS GEEKFEST, 10th – 12th August, London. Multi- media con with strong literature strand. Tickets £99 at https://nineworlds.co.uk/

BRISTOLCON, 27th October, Bristol. Guests of Honour Joanne Hall & Dave Hutchinson. Doubletree Hotel. £20. Details at www.bristolcon.org

FANTASYCON, 19th – 21st October, Chester. The Queen Hotel. Tickets (until May 1st) £51 + £36 Awards Banquet www.hwsevents.co.uk/shop-2

15 NOVACON 48, 9th – 11th November, Nottingham. Guest of Honour is Chris Beckett. The Park Inn, Nottingham. Tickets £48. Details at www.novacon.org.uk

TOLKIEN 2019, 7th – 11th August 2019, Birmingham. 50th Year Anniversary of Tolkien Society, MacDonald Burlington Hotel (New Street). £95 www.tolkiensociety.org

WORLDCON 2019, 15th – 19th August 2019, Dublin. Guests of Honour Ian McDonald, Jocelyn Bell Burnell, Steve Jackson, Diane Duane, Ginjer Buchanan and Bill & Mary Burns. Convention Centre. 180 Euros. https://dublin2019.com/

FUTURE MEETINGS OF THE BSFG May 11th – SF author and BSFG member Janet Edwards June 8th – SF author Alastair Reynolds July 13th - tbc August 10th – Summer social September 14th - tbc October 12th – Comics writer & editor, David Leach November 16th – Astrophysicist & NASA Kepler mission leader, Professor Bill Chaplin December 7th – Christmas social

BRUM GROUP NEWS #559 (April 2018) copyright 2018 for Birmingham SF Group. Articles, artwork and photographs must not be reproduced in whole or part without the consent of the editor and/or the respective authors. This issue produced by Carol Goodwin ([email protected]). Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the committee or the general membership or, for that matter, the person giving the ‘opinion’. Thanks to all the named contributors in this issue. ABOUT US... The Birmingham Science Fiction Group meets on the second Friday of each month. Membership is £16 per year per person (or £21 for two members living at the same address). This includes the 12 free issues of the Newsletter plus reduced entrance fee at each meeting. Details of how to join/pay can be obtained at a meeting or by email to [email protected]

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