Vector The Critical Journal of the British Science Fiction Association No. 279 Spring 2015 £4.00 VECTOR #279 – Spring 2015 Vector The Critical Journal of the British Science Fiction Association ARTICLES Vector Torque Control Editorial by Anna McFarlane ........................... 3 http://vectoreditors.wordpress.com The BSFA Review: Best of 2014 Features, Editorial Glyn Morgan and Letters: 35 Belgrave Road, compiled by Martin Petto .............................. 4 Aigburth, Liverpool L17 7AG Best of 2014 in SF Television [email protected] by Molly Cobb .............................................. 14 Co-Editor: Anna McFarlane Best of 2014 in SF Audio Book Reviews: Martin Petto 27 Elmfield Road, by Tony Jones ................................................. 18 Walthamstow E17 7HJ [email protected] Best of 2014 in Young Adult SF Production: Alex Bardy by Tony Jones ................................................. 22 [email protected] Made of Win: Ann Leckie Interview British Science Fiction Association Ltd interviewed by Tom Hunter ............................. 24 The BSFA was founded in 1958 and is a non-profitmaking organisation entirely staffed by unpaid volunteers. Registered in England. Limited by guarantee. RECURRENT BSFA Website www.bsfa.co.uk Company No. 921500 Sequentials: Laura Sneddon .................... 28 Registered address: 61 Ivycroft Road, Warton, Tamworth, Kincaid in Short: Paul Kincaid ............... 31 Staffordshire B79 0JJ Foundation Favourites: Andy Sawyer .... 34 President Stephen Baxter Resonances: Stephen Baxter .................. 36 Vice President Jon Courtenay Grimwood Chair Donna Scott [email protected] Treasurer Martin Potts THE BSFA REVIEW 61 Ivy Croft Road, Warton, Nr. Tamworth B79 0JJ The BSFA Review: Martin Petto ................... 38 [email protected] Membership Services Dave Lally In this issue, Kerry Dodd enters The Race, Ian Sales [email protected] tours Europe In Autumn, and Paul Kincaid visits Bête MEMBERSHIP FEES while Anne F Wilson takes up the Ancillary Sword. UK £29 per annum (Unwaged: £20 pa) Aishwarya Subramanian calls this an Irregularity Life Membership £500 Outside UK £40 but Duncan Lawie finds Paradox when Ken Macleod Joint/Family Membership Add £2 to the above prices makes a Descent with Andy Sawyer’s War Dogs Cheques (Pounds Sterling only) should be made payable to against Shaun Green’s Defenders -- Patrick Mahon ‘BSFA Ltd’ and sent to Martin Potts at the address above, or considers them a big fat Parasite but Shaun Green join via the BSFA website using Paypal at www.bsfa.co.uk knows they’re actually just Broken Monsters... FOCUS: THE BSFA MAGAZINE FOR WRITERS Design Editor: Alex Bardy [email protected] BSFA AWARDS Published by the BSFA Ltd © 2015 .......... ISSN 05050448 Administrator: Farah Mendlesohn All opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors and [email protected] not BSFA Ltd except where expressly stated. Copyright of individual ORBITER WRITING GROUPS articles remains with the author. Online: Terry Jackman [email protected] page 2 VECTOR #279 – Spring 2015 Torque Control t’s been a year since Glyn joined Vector as the Features concern for contemporary settings. In future issues Glyn and Editor on the ‘Best of 2013’ issue and so it seems seren- dipitous that I should become his co-editor in time to fresh as well as the concerns Gibson writes about in his novel: I I hope to celebrate the variety of voices keeping this field review the ‘Best of 2014’. I’m grateful to Glyn for inviting me the boundary between the present and the future which to help continue Vector’s proud tradition as a forum for all seems to become blurrier with every new technological inno- - these debates and can contact us through the email address: hasthings been science something fictional. to admire Glyn’s worksince onthe the debut annual event Contem in 2011, [email protected]. Contributors both new and old are invited to join us in especiallyporary Research as he manages in Speculative to juggle Fiction this commitment(CRSF) conferences with so section to remember and celebrate all the great people we Our ‘Best of 2014’ issue begins with the annual BSFA haveFinally, lost sinceour back the beginningcover is given of 2014. over Ofto particularan ‘In Memoriam’ note is reviewmany others, compiled and by it’s Martin a pleasure Petto, to which be working gives uswith the him. high- lights of 2014 according to Vector contributors and other Star TrekLeonard Nimoy, whose sad loss will surely colour 2015 -for many in our field. Nimoy performed the role of Spock in aficionados. Our commissioned articles once again feature viewers:’s original the emotion series withthat manya charming people touch feel on of hisflamboy death is introducingMolly Cobb, whome to gives Orphan us an Black overview through of theher year’s‘Best of science 2013’ aance testament and a twinkle to his power in his aseye an that actor sparked and his devotion deep connec in many- essayfiction and on television.once more Ishe am gives personally us a taste grateful of current to Molly trends for in director’s seat for Star Trek III: The Search for Spock the mainstream. Also returning from last year’s ‘Best of…’ andtion Starwith Trek his audience. IV: The Voyage As well Home as acting, Nimoy took the science fiction programming and its overlap with fantasy and success of the series with two thoughtful additions that(1984) made (1986), continuing the releases.is Tony Jones This who issue makes also reviews sure that an we area never that again was neglectedhave to lastface yeara dull as commute Ashley Armstrong with his roundup gives us of 2014’s science best fiction young audio histhe manymost ofcameos, Nimoy’s such relationship as his appearances with his cast. in Matt Nimoy Groening’s also cartoonsplayed an The important Simpsons role and in Futurama science fiction. Also culturenotable through were his Invasion of the Body adult science fiction. In addition to these overviews we’re Snatchers pleased to give you an interview with Ann Leckie, a fitting inrole Fringe in David Kibner’s excellent remake of - addition to this review issue as 2014 may come to be known sion series(1978) of recent and years. his regular Of course, appearance he continued as William to be Bella Ancillaryas ‘the year Justice of Leckie’. Our regular after she columns scooped include the Hugo, a review BSFA, of part of the (2008-13), Star Trek onefranchise of the throughbest science his appearances fiction televi in J.J. theArthur year C. in Clarke, graphic and novels Nebula from awards Laura for Sneddon her 2013 and debut, a science Abrams’ recent reboot movies where his charm gave gravitas A Christmas Carol found wanting in those departments. As we go on to remem- novel,fictional this version issue’s of ‘Foundation Charles Dickens’ Favourite’. Meanwhile, Paul(1843) and human warmth to films that were otherwise too often Kincaidas Andy exploresSawyer introduces the male gaze us to and the its first construction ever movie of tie-in femi - goodbye, one made through the medium of Twitter. As they ber 2014 it might be worth finishing with a very modern that may be of particular interest to those who saw Alex Gar- nine robots in LesterEx Machina del Rey’s ‘Helen O’Loy’ (1938), an article- mourn, many fans will turn to Leonard Nimoy’s final tweet: tions of gender through a feminine robot, albeit in a more ‘A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not land’s recent film (2015) which also raises ques preserved, except in memory. Live Long and Prosper’. Here’s to memories, and here’s to making some more in 2015. Lunaself-aware series, manner. due for Stevenrelease Baxter with Gollancz begins to in look September, forward in to Tweet about Vector, Anna McFarlane orderwhat 2015 to consider may hold the as ethics he anticipates of socio-politics Ian McDonald’s in the precarious new use the hashtag environments of outer space. and Glyn Morgan The appraisal of 2014 continued last month through the #sfVector Co-Editors release of the BSFA and the Kitschies awards shortlists which Cover art by Gav Herron, Thegive Race us an idea of where science fiction might be going inThe “The World Mover” Lagoon2015 with both lists celebrating Nina Allan’s debut novel www.behance.net/theartofgavh (2014) and Nnedi Okorafor’s Nigeria-set novel Facebook: www.facebook.com/theartofgavh release of(2014) 2014’s alongside The Peripheral recognition, a novel for that more combines established his Instagram: @theartofgavh writers like William Gibson who delighted fans with the talent for mind-bendingPlease submit cyberpunk all articles, with his more comments recent and queries to [email protected] page 3 VECTOR #279 – Spring 2015 The BSFA Review: Best of 2014 compiled by Martin Petto As to what happens next: - Graham Andrews - tesy“BEWARE of whoever THE EYES wrote THAT the trailer PARA The LYSE” and “IT’S THEM OR US!” (Cour Midwich Cuckoos with Michael The Children John Wyndham published writtenblurbs.) by AV Sellwood and pub- tie-in paperback was needJoseph, only London, the most in 1957. summary The story of sum is - so well known by now that it should lished by Four Square (dated 1964,- picture-postcard English village, the berbut –Sellwood like the filmfrom itself The Dark– released World in maries. A ‘flying saucer’ lands in a Of1963). Witches You may or may not remem and nine months later all the local even Dynamite For Hire (Panther, womenpopulation give is birth knocked to sinister out for and a day (Corgi, 1964) or perhaps The Midwich Cuckoos is much more 1958). The Briley/Sellwood take on Americanwild-talented edition alien two ‘cuckoos’. years later. Ballantine published the first muchaffective too than long Wyndham’s,a time. I won’t who give kept Midwich Main, which is now safely awayhis cuckoos the just in plain narrative right ending,limbo for ensconcedWyndham leftat the an University incomplete of sequel, Liver- pool.