Hat tip to Dana for showing this. The US National Public Radio has published the results of its poll for top 100 SF/Fantasy novels. Below the break is the list, with those I have read in bold, with my comments. (more…)
Top 100 SF/Fantasy books Saturday, Aug 13 2011
Uncategorized Books, Fantasy, literature, Science Fiction 9:31 pm
Doctor Who LIVE! Sunday, Oct 10 2010
Uncategorized Doctor Who, Leisure, Science Fiction, TV 2:39 am
Vorgenson, a travelling interstellar showman- part PT Barnum, part Ripley’s believe it of not, has come to Earth to show his collection of some of the scariest beings collected from across the universe – Judoon, Weeping Angels and Cybermen among them. However there is one exhibit he would dearly love to have, which places his audience in mortal danger!
Vorgenson, played by Nigel Planer, brings his show to a number of locations around the UK. I saw it with my family on the 9 October at Wembly Arena. It is basically a ‘soft rock’ concert – the music being from ‘NuWho’ – with a Doctor Who plot linking it together. Matt Smith appears via specially recorded video clips, and as long as Planer doesn’t fluff his lines (he didn’t) they ‘converse’. Various Who monsters are brought out, much as the beared lady or pig faced man may have been paraded in a 19th century circus, which we are assured are all under Vortgensons control (he has never had an audience killed yet- at least not an entire one!), and stomp through the aisles among the the audience, with the occasion sneering at little children, before being forced back into the ‘Minimiser’ by their new master. In between the band play music from the series, while the big screen shows specially edited sequences from the 5 new series, scripted to be part of Vorgenson’s show. One sequence was all the regenerations, with Tennant’s arrival as the 10th Doctor getting a huge cheer, slightly louder than the one where he became Smith.
The arena was full – this is one to take the kids to, rather than something for the purist fan. It was similar to the BBC’s “Doctor Who Proms” – on it’s own the plot was a little thin to be a ‘proper episode’, though don’t be surprised if somthing similar turns up as an episode at some point. Steven Moffet, the new head of the ‘Whoniverse’ had a hand in the production. Similarly you probably wouldn’t want to sit in the audience just to listen to the music. However it works well as an excuse to see the costumes getting an airing in a sort of ‘living history’ way, and inthe context of the video, I found some of the music raising goosebumps. There is something pretty cool about watching half a dozen cybermen stomp down the aisle 8 feet away. Plus there are pyrotechniques which we could feel the heat of 10 rows back.
All in all a enjoyable family day out.
Official site
Destruction of the Death Star, more Cock-Up than Conspiracy Thursday, Aug 5 2010
Uncategorized Humour, Science Fiction, Writing 8:14 pm
Some of you may be aware that Conspiracy Theorists produce many wild theories about the destruction of the Death Star. How could the galaxy’s mightiest battle station be destroyed by a handful of light fighters, and point out that the pilot that fired fatal shot was the SON of the station commander, who had, unbelievably left combat command to take to the battle in his person fight craft shortly before the Death Star blew up.
However, I have emails sent in the weeks before the battle that tell a different story, and here I present them, Wikileaks style. (more below the fold)
