This video is pretty awesome. The group commissioned, sci-fi director William Eubank to create this film called love. I like it. Doesn't sound very much like Angels and Airways? Sounds a bit Mr. Scruff to me!
Thursday 20 January 2011
The Time I Met William Gibson...
Ok, Ok! I was too much of a chicken to get my photo taken with him. But i shook his hand, he signed my book and we had a little laugh about his grafitti 'tag' signature... Hes so cool.
Short Story: Standard Loneliness by Charles Yu
I have decided to post a link every so often to a Science Fiction Short Story I like that can be read free online. Feel free to follow through and enjoy.
Charles Yu is more widenly known for his novel How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe
Standard Loneliness Package
This story reminded me a bit of those very emo pencil cartoons where you just wait for someone to slowing rub out the warm hearts from their chests. Its got a little bit of Tom Holt's depressing hopelessness and none of the humour which makes it even more sad. But a good read!
I found this story by http://bestsciencefictionstories.com/ if you want to look up your own reads.
Charles Yu is more widenly known for his novel How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe
Standard Loneliness Package
This story reminded me a bit of those very emo pencil cartoons where you just wait for someone to slowing rub out the warm hearts from their chests. Its got a little bit of Tom Holt's depressing hopelessness and none of the humour which makes it even more sad. But a good read!
I found this story by http://bestsciencefictionstories.com/ if you want to look up your own reads.
Two Hobbit Movies? How the Hell?!
Obviously I was excited when I heard there would be an adaptation of The Hobbit, although I must admit, the book fails in comparision to the Lord of The Rings which completely out shone in my eyes.
Which is the main reason why I can't understand how they expect the make TWO movies out of it? For all those wondering how some many people found all the walking in Lord of The Rings dire... well! Imagine that. But with no side plots whatsoever? I really don't know how they are going to pull it off!
For the moment I shall keep my faith in Peter Jackson and Ian Mckellan.
For a much more detailed account of the unfathomable possibility of two movies is a great article in the Las Vegas Review by Mark Davis. The most interesting part is the idea that parts of Tolkien’s work “The Silmarillion” being incorporated into the script. “The Silmarillion” was a collection of written work published after the authors death and includes deeper description of Middle Earth and all its characters.
Speaking of all things Tolkien.. I reccomend a great thriller that investigates the possibility of a real 'Ring' that Tolkien uncovered and then wrote about. Set in Iceland and incorporating Icelandic Sagas, I'd describe it as Stieg Larsson meets C.S Lewis... Or something like that! Its called Where the Shadows Lie by Michael Ridpath
“A clever blend of murder mystery, myth and up-to-the-minute mayhem … Whether you’re a fan of orcs, Gimli and Legolas or Elmore Leonard and The Sopranos, there’s something in this quixotic, atmospheric alternative thriller for you.”
Peter Millar, The Times.
Which is the main reason why I can't understand how they expect the make TWO movies out of it? For all those wondering how some many people found all the walking in Lord of The Rings dire... well! Imagine that. But with no side plots whatsoever? I really don't know how they are going to pull it off!
For the moment I shall keep my faith in Peter Jackson and Ian Mckellan.
For a much more detailed account of the unfathomable possibility of two movies is a great article in the Las Vegas Review by Mark Davis. The most interesting part is the idea that parts of Tolkien’s work “The Silmarillion” being incorporated into the script. “The Silmarillion” was a collection of written work published after the authors death and includes deeper description of Middle Earth and all its characters.
Speaking of all things Tolkien.. I reccomend a great thriller that investigates the possibility of a real 'Ring' that Tolkien uncovered and then wrote about. Set in Iceland and incorporating Icelandic Sagas, I'd describe it as Stieg Larsson meets C.S Lewis... Or something like that! Its called Where the Shadows Lie by Michael Ridpath
“A clever blend of murder mystery, myth and up-to-the-minute mayhem … Whether you’re a fan of orcs, Gimli and Legolas or Elmore Leonard and The Sopranos, there’s something in this quixotic, atmospheric alternative thriller for you.”
Peter Millar, The Times.
Monthly Novels? Interesting...
Catherine Fisher, author of Incarceron may change the face of Young Adult Fantasy by publishing her new series Relic Master in monthly intervals, much like comic books. This might be quite interesting considering whenever I delve into a young adult novel I usually read it within a weekend anyway! Its oh so infuriating waiting a whole year for another two days reading for the sequel!
The four novels will be coming out monthly starting in May.
Relic Master - Synposis
Anara is a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation. Nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his 16-year-old apprentice, Raffi. They know of a secret relic with great power that has been hidden for centuries. As they search for it, they will be hunted, spied on, and tested beyond their limits. For there are monsters – some human, some not – that also want the relic's power and will stop at nothing to get it.
The four novels will be coming out monthly starting in May.
Relic Master - Synposis
Anara is a world mysteriously crumbling to devastation. Nothing is what it seems: Ancient relics emit technologically advanced powers, members of the old Order are hunted by the governing Watch yet revered by the people, and the great energy that connects all seems to also be destroying all. The only hope for the world lies in Galen, a man of the old Order and a Keeper of relics, and his 16-year-old apprentice, Raffi. They know of a secret relic with great power that has been hidden for centuries. As they search for it, they will be hunted, spied on, and tested beyond their limits. For there are monsters – some human, some not – that also want the relic's power and will stop at nothing to get it.
Book Review: The Wind Up Girl - Bacigalupi
When you haven't blogged in a while you need to come back with a bang?
So what do I want to come back with? Probably the next big science fiction writer.
It is such a great feeling when you finish a book and realize it was not just a great read but a phenomenal read. The Wind Up Girl is crafted perfectly and complements its authors ingenious ideas with superb writing.
This was my most eagerly anticipated read of 2010. The novel is one of the most critically acclaimed of the year (extraordinarily for a debut novel). It won two of the genres biggest awards, the Hugo and Nebula award. It also won the John W Campbell and the Locus first novel.
The Wind Up girl is set in a future Thailand struggling for survival; survival from the flood waters that skim it’s protective walls, survival against the incurable gene plagues ravaging the world and survival from the genetics that hack down food crops and destroy the vital calories needed to keep the population. There is a battle in the city between the money hungry traders who are eager to ignore environmental legislations and the environmental white shirts who struggle with the balance between the contraband gene tampering and the government, tampering themselves, to survive. Then there are the Thai rulers, struggling to maintain their culture and spirit in a new world that butchers it.
It was a breath of fresh air to read a future sci-fi set in Thailand. The future Thailand is a steam-punk dystopia energized by its factions - each struggling for dominance. It’s clear that the energy of the city is bubbling to a violent climax. Notoriously compared to William Gibson's seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer the plot has the darkness and violence of a noir - with multiple corrupt characters and plot twists.
It’s also an environmental Sci-Fi. What makes it a good one is that the plights of The Wind Up Girls Thailand have roots in today’s society. Bacigalupi creates a haunting world because its believable. He mixes this with the fanciful, from evaporating Cheshire cats to terrifying armoured megathons.
Defying the majority of environmental sci-fis, Bacigalupi leaves his story open ended and without defining the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. You are left with a feeling of resolution but no clear idea who was right; who won and who lost. Follow this lack of decisiveness; there are no outright heroes or villains in the novel. For example, Jaidee the head of the white shirts (the environmental military entrusted with keeping the genetic terrors at bay) should be a hero but in the first scenes he is seen accepting bribes from traders. He then destroys their shipments, ignoring the illicit money he has just received to protect them. He terrorizes and threatens all who stand in the white shirts path, considering it a lesser wrong for protecting his country. He reminded me of Jack Bauer, but instead of protecting his country against terrorists, he protects it from the biological threats. There is also Kanya; his deputy who is really a double agent. She struggles between choosing between which of her masters is really providing justice and helping the nation. Is there really an answer when both are shedding blood?
The Wind Up girl is a key character and a metaphor of the books message. She is a new person; a Japanese creation. She is created with human modification. She has immunity from disease, strength and quicker reflexes. However, because she is designed to serve and delight others she is also built with flaws such as no pores to give her perfectly smooth skin. This causes her to overheat if she moves too fast. She is also designed to move in wind up, stutter stop motions: a deliberate feature to ensure she can be spotted from a real person. She has also been built with innate psychological qualities - like a labrador she craves a master and to serve. The Thai’s regard her as an abomination – unnatural and dangerous. She is constantly treated as inferior, when she herself points out; really she is superiorly designed in every way. The doctor Gi Bu Sen (a master at gene hacking) comments the world could be much better off if we all gave in and became new people ourselves.
The novel is a tremendous read that is never predicable and leaves you turning each page eager for more. The characters are engaging and you long to know what will happen next. Is there a sequel? Only time will tell! All I know is, after reading this book you know that Paolo Bacigalupi is the next big thing in Sci-Fi.
So what do I want to come back with? Probably the next big science fiction writer.
It is such a great feeling when you finish a book and realize it was not just a great read but a phenomenal read. The Wind Up Girl is crafted perfectly and complements its authors ingenious ideas with superb writing.
This was my most eagerly anticipated read of 2010. The novel is one of the most critically acclaimed of the year (extraordinarily for a debut novel). It won two of the genres biggest awards, the Hugo and Nebula award. It also won the John W Campbell and the Locus first novel.
The Wind Up girl is set in a future Thailand struggling for survival; survival from the flood waters that skim it’s protective walls, survival against the incurable gene plagues ravaging the world and survival from the genetics that hack down food crops and destroy the vital calories needed to keep the population. There is a battle in the city between the money hungry traders who are eager to ignore environmental legislations and the environmental white shirts who struggle with the balance between the contraband gene tampering and the government, tampering themselves, to survive. Then there are the Thai rulers, struggling to maintain their culture and spirit in a new world that butchers it.
It was a breath of fresh air to read a future sci-fi set in Thailand. The future Thailand is a steam-punk dystopia energized by its factions - each struggling for dominance. It’s clear that the energy of the city is bubbling to a violent climax. Notoriously compared to William Gibson's seminal cyberpunk novel Neuromancer the plot has the darkness and violence of a noir - with multiple corrupt characters and plot twists.
It’s also an environmental Sci-Fi. What makes it a good one is that the plights of The Wind Up Girls Thailand have roots in today’s society. Bacigalupi creates a haunting world because its believable. He mixes this with the fanciful, from evaporating Cheshire cats to terrifying armoured megathons.
Defying the majority of environmental sci-fis, Bacigalupi leaves his story open ended and without defining the ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. You are left with a feeling of resolution but no clear idea who was right; who won and who lost. Follow this lack of decisiveness; there are no outright heroes or villains in the novel. For example, Jaidee the head of the white shirts (the environmental military entrusted with keeping the genetic terrors at bay) should be a hero but in the first scenes he is seen accepting bribes from traders. He then destroys their shipments, ignoring the illicit money he has just received to protect them. He terrorizes and threatens all who stand in the white shirts path, considering it a lesser wrong for protecting his country. He reminded me of Jack Bauer, but instead of protecting his country against terrorists, he protects it from the biological threats. There is also Kanya; his deputy who is really a double agent. She struggles between choosing between which of her masters is really providing justice and helping the nation. Is there really an answer when both are shedding blood?
The Wind Up girl is a key character and a metaphor of the books message. She is a new person; a Japanese creation. She is created with human modification. She has immunity from disease, strength and quicker reflexes. However, because she is designed to serve and delight others she is also built with flaws such as no pores to give her perfectly smooth skin. This causes her to overheat if she moves too fast. She is also designed to move in wind up, stutter stop motions: a deliberate feature to ensure she can be spotted from a real person. She has also been built with innate psychological qualities - like a labrador she craves a master and to serve. The Thai’s regard her as an abomination – unnatural and dangerous. She is constantly treated as inferior, when she herself points out; really she is superiorly designed in every way. The doctor Gi Bu Sen (a master at gene hacking) comments the world could be much better off if we all gave in and became new people ourselves.
The novel is a tremendous read that is never predicable and leaves you turning each page eager for more. The characters are engaging and you long to know what will happen next. Is there a sequel? Only time will tell! All I know is, after reading this book you know that Paolo Bacigalupi is the next big thing in Sci-Fi.
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