Policing Yirtual Rca!tt,· Brian Stableford -.\lcC1ll1c1 81.1dlc1 lle1omcs Interview 2 Vector Contents Nuts & Bolts 3 Front Line Dispatches - Letters I owe you all an apology - your mailing is 6 Brian Stableford late and it's all my fault. I'm sure you don't need Interviewed by Catie Cary to hear excuses, but you 're getting them 11 Policing Virtual Reality by Ian Sales anyway. Since the beginning of February, since 13 Reviewers'Poll -1992 the morning I delivered the last issue of Vector 16 Only A Girl by Carol Ann Green in fact, I have been working in Norwich, while 18 First Impressions continuing to try to produce Vector from my Reviews edited by Catie Cary home in Guildford. This has created all sorts of 26 Barbed Wire Kisses - Magazine difficulties, and Vector has suffered less than Reviews edited by Maureen Speller many other areas of my life. I've had to be fairly 30 Paperback Graffiti ruthless in setting my priorities to get here at all. edited by Stephen Payne Furthermore, I owe an apology to all the people who have written to me over the last few Cover Artwork by Claire Willoughby months; some to offer help, and to whom I have not yet replied. Your interest and support has Editor & Hardback Reviews been much appreciated, believe me, and you Catie Cary 224 Southway, Park Barn, should be hearing from me "real soon now" . Guildford, Surrey, GU2 6DN The less forgiving of you will now be asking Phone: 0483 502349 whether this means that you have in your hands a second class scrambled magazine. Well, I Contributing Editor certainly hope not. That is where all my energies Kev McVeigh 37 Firs Road, Milnthorpe, have been directed. Cumbria, LA? 8QF This issue brings you the results of our Phone: 05395 62883 annual reviewers' poll . This year, with more reviewers than ever taking part it is brought to Paperback Reviews Editor you in chart form. The "top thirty" are listed this Stephen Payne 24 Malvern Rd , Stoneygate, issue. I intend to bring you the rest along with Leicester, LE2 28H short story and ·worst read" charts , in later issues. Let me know what you think of the new Magazine Reviews Editor format. Tom A Jones suggested to me in a Maureen Speller 60 Bournemouth Rd , recent letter that we run a poll of the readership Folkestone, Kent, CT1 9 SAZ to compile an All•Time Greats chart. Let me know if you'd be interested to take part and to Editorial Assistants see the results in a future issue of Vector. Alan Johnson, Camilla Pomeroy It may have come to your attention that the result of the Arthur C Clarke award for 1992 has Production Assistants generated a certain amount of controversy. I Alison Sinclair, Carol Ann Green, have invited Steve Grover John Clute to contribute a Printed by PDC Copypri nt, 11 Jefferies guest editorial Passage, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4AP next issue to explain his Vector is printed bimonthly by lhe BSFA © ~993 views, which I Contributions: Good articles are always wanted . All am sure will MSS should be typed doubles spaced on one side of occasion a the page. Submissions may also be accepted as ASC II great deal of text files on IBM , Ata ri ST or Mac 3.5" discs. discussion. Maximum pre ferred length is 5000 word s; exceptions Finally, can and will be made . A preliminary letter is advisable but not essential. Unsolicited MSS cannot be returned the picture is wi thout an SAE . provided in Please note that th ere is no payment for publication. response to a Members who wish to review books should first write to reader's the appropriate editor. request-I Artists: Cover art , ill ustrations and fi llers are always haven't welcome. wchanged much . Vector 3 CUfomian ava,.e garoe ams wnn a la:Me tor UgandM rough trade. A.JDS Is too senous !or my llppancy? Damn ngtl It iS. h Is also loo senous IOr any &tnor cl liCDon 10 proclam he Wlll~83001hensinl)lyr8Cyde Arnlislead M ;qwi ciches. E'l'l!r)' lme the momenr arrivBd for Geoff Ryman to IIUrnnate lhe ...... hewer1bactl-1oiconsand IOt8ms. came 14> short, cidr'l'I deiver" the ooocts.chealedme. thereader Anlstshavea responait)ii!y totnair Sl.qlK..1 marer and ltllW IIUllenol. I don't bei9119 Goon Ryman dlschar08(I tt1oll r85pOnStity and I doi't lind Was ••• abe.lulitutbook hcriJreo..er hard 11nec1. Sorrytoseernabilpriddy. !Mlhal'slhe way ii goes. Oo.alass Wu... Is ab5oUely l)Oilicaltycmect bll: f1CHlne a:D:ed me1osqi rha:marwleslO. ~~~ Bolton R 1 Y.t1l -Therewere1tne~ leners in F,ont l ine Dispatchu Iha! had muct11f1corm.on, in ma ttteyeacti "'8hemenl. ly ~ 10 Gar8lh Rees' nMeW at Freda Lo!V"e<7' Watmg1oris A Taste Of BkM:ld Wine. From Norman Beswick 841 thepclil'Urasedweso.51,n,w th.al I Chl.Kch Stretton Whoun counc how many~ couldnoi:ndmyselotlhedstincl"'1Jl'uaon Stil to-orfonlavo th.al al were wnnen as a~ exerase With a P 1&asedoftpfantopuzziecl~Nfon c:rucifyttael(ingof Ht-? 1r.. achange o, oeas. There was even &he tlotyj_, ..,__ , iu-. page 18eolumn 201 Y-ctor 171 . whereil same lendancy 10 lapse W10 trendy OC. r..::ts "R~. 11 tS libc> ellJM!necl by ("cifferenily 30vaf11aged", •gem chalangecr, ref•ence 10 CILICl.aZlam. my word was Some real 1h0u,;,t'lls to OfM 10 gnps With "culuraly di:S.tdvar&agad"). underneath usual ·equations· - whlCh does make betler sense. lhe .santlmenlalify ol lhal The first lenar was from Freda her58I' .Yid. llmeoltheyear wlile her 5afCaSffl was mos1 amusing, and her °"""" r.-.:our underslandaole (fm sure all tellc)w. ~'.s'.r,; 7¼ &.'1,\ To\c""i E:itae.:,7'"" l'IOV86sts w,I haw some Sympalhy), her -F~&Ti Jotrn Howard From ~anY,i Taytor mi!linloq:wot ailon ol Gareth's remarks Mly Brackneu Cambridge redueed her indignation 10 lttle more lhan ·sour grapes•. don't ordinaily Take exception 10 whal N orman Beswick's lener mY171 made some I This misreading of the review wa, shared inleresttng points. I had never lhOughl that !he anyonemakesofmyrev,ews. Anar 12years &QUaMy by 1he lwO lolow!ng lene,s, wnnen by tracluional Image of Iha CJevtl rrll(llll no1 ring true you just accept lhal an)'One's os,inion is as Susan Bentley and Kl Woods. who each with as many P800II as I assume Cta,t(e valid as )'OUrS buC I feel compelled to take QUOSIIOnod whother Gareth was lalklng about lhought ii w~ Maybt III don WOOi we1 11&118 Wllh Helen 8lancl 0\191' Was. the same book. I began 10 WOnd8" if I hey enough - I don't recal Norman's pom1 bang I read this book exp&c11ng 10 find serious wse referrw,g to the sa,,e rfMel#. madebyanyone .... They ... hadoY91'1ony insight I cidrfl find any So I read ii again I They both assumed thal Gareth's man yearstomaka•in! raad11 kUwn&s,and)'OUoughl IOlrydolng QIJatfelWllhthebookw.-sthalilisno1a I have use $tapledon's Star Maker m a lhalWl(habootl)'OUlkein5"weeksn&v.­ Horrornor,,9':b!Alhalisp-ecisely"""-thrlMle .9a'TTIOn. and rHT.o IO the 11m SC. Ttn: VI in mnd one )'OU don) like. "Hosalle" I shall andC:OV.-S&WBS1S.andGarahwasQ1.ate ~ ~ a9Chool~onpn,)W(CIJcl01taf•IO 'Shalow'? • Helen found~ ~lf11)01111ing0Ullhis~. prayer a1 the end ol a Ullk on the film?!) How I and ibTwnalion, good lor her' .. I can dO ii OMO,frflda's~wasalad.ot stale hone:sdy tt1oll I didn"t find any ocnieaed the rwo is• b,g Slary. t..t I was oqearv,ry on Gaertfs pan (as~ to toki I( \IIIOJked welenough. • has .... AIJSISIOO.Mriouslormyllipp.ancy? the coat,...,. Shown by Brian Slablefon:I. occu-ed 10 me to use Cline's 'The Sta' tor an Damnnghlrt1S.ll1SatsolOOMn01a10bfl pa-haps. And l WOl'lds' how unbiased ll'le IJaatfld like lhe u11Wna1e lasnc,n ~..-mon-)'al-lO, IOO, H.tm10rt's .:::ces,o,y r....aw would have been had• been Wf'Clen by 'TtlaS.-891S0fAshkalon orlewa tOffllheS&MMuac:te~a.u.. , .... .._ Susan or KL) ~ Per•land~. bolh 0f whch have mucr, 10 say some laner-day el romance Does Freda r9aly expea l10dwig t>u: 1~.asW91ast.nQ.--..SFar and 9YOCabOn. as some gay MQrS appear to urq.'4lifiecl pr.ase? Obviously she does, or J:J(lpCISe.Al>Sisnola°GayPtague" coninrld SM wouldn't have reacled ,o bfflerlyto wha! The song and hymn wn1ar S)'dney Cane, IOaffluenl wtwte bowpeoisAfflercans The was only an honest, personal reaciog Of hef 1atas1work. makes some~ M:J rhaugr,·prvvoung 113SfmajorilyrAHIV•peoplelodayarebUd,; ·-1n Nnean marriedhaa'OSelUal Moslem women For mysel. I lound the nMew conose. pons i.s Cl-ns(mascaro1'&wy~ar Shal 51ng a carol' (Hymn• Anc..nl and Modem - how's THAT for ~disadvantage! teling andwitty:burl ilwasstilontylhe ,._ Standard 354). Stanzas Jam, go Ike Tomorrow they will be b-own Indian marn.ct ocw-.:,n cl a srngle ailic and I r9fflalf1 10ta1y ... , helerosexua, Hindu '°'°'"8n. &If cl COWN un:sway,edby•.onewa.,ortheothet Jusz they"re ltWdwortci women and, by~ rwneblr. Ff9da. there is no such lhmg as bad .,_.tvesa-eWO'thlesslhansome -Finaly .,._ontheStqectolreviews 4 Vector may I say how much enjoyed those by Manyn of a David Wingrove novel which appears in a I cannot in all honesty say tha1 Chung Kuo Taylor and Maureen Speller BSFA magazine, the next issue will contain a is unreadable. I have in fact read the whole of Suscribars to Dreamberry Wine will letter from the author complaining that the book 1.