Book Review: The Art of Steampunk by Art Donovan

Pros: fabulous full colour photos and detail shots, wide variety of artworks

Cons: some artworks are more appealing than others, some artists only have one page, while others got several pages

The Art of Steampunk is a full colour guide to the steampunk exhibit hosted by the University of Oxford's Museum of the History of Science from October 2009 to February 2010.  It included works from 18 artists.

Beginning with an intruduction by the exhibit's curator, Art Donovan and a steampunk 101 essay, by G. D. Galksen, the book showcases a wide variety of steampunk art.  From lamps, watches and laptop covers to clothing, jewelry and sculpture, there's something for everyone. 

I was a little surprised that some of the artists got several pages in which to desplay their art while others only had one.  Perhaps those artists had fewer words, but it makes the book feel a little uneven.

The book itself has an old fashioned feel due to the cream paper look and images of photo corners and yellowed tape to 'hold' the pictures in place.

This is an excellent primer for newcomers to the subgenre as well as a beautiful book for collectors and affictionados.

Author Interview: T. C. McCarthy

Novel: Germline

Short Stories: 

"The Legionnaires" in Orbit Short Fiction

"Private Exploration" Nature, Vol 474, 2011

"A.I.P." Story Quarterly Issue 45, 2011

"A Dry and Dusty Home" Per Contra, Spring 2010

"The Best Liar Even" Bards and Sages Quarterly, July 2010 & Bardic Tales and Sage Advice, Vol III anthology

"The Goat King", Arkham Tales Issue 6, 2010

Website: www.tcmccarthy.com

> What's Germline about?

Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, has fallen; when U.S. forces capture its metallic resources using bioengineered troops, reporter-turned-drug-addict, Oscar Wendell, is in their midst. During the ensuing war with Russia, Oscar only has to grow-up, clean-up, and save his girlfriend - a genetically engineered soldier - if he wants to survive.

> What made you want to be a writer?

Being a reader. I used to stay up all night when I was in first grade reading the Taran Wanderer series, the Narnia series, anything I could get my hands on, and at some point I began appreciating books so much that I knew someday I'd write my own. Eventually it became a "I-have-to-be-a-writer" thing. Let me say this, however: the fact that people - who I don't know - are going to pay for my books is intimidating because once the book goes out, I have no control; all readers' opinions are valid opinions and if one doesn't feel as though he/she got his/her money's worth it's my fault. I lose sleep over this. But at the same time it's not like I'll stop writing because it's such an incredibly fun thing to go to a bookstore and see your own work, and I'm so fortunate to have gotten published in the first place.

> You write both literary and science fiction. What are the advantages of writing the different genres?

I LOVE writing literary fiction, and there may come a point where I try writing a mainstream or literary novel. I should also caveat my response up front: I am far less learned on this subject than many of the people I interact with in the writing community. Nick Mamatas once referred to people who pursue jobs in literary academia - without having obtained a decent education on the subject - as "plucky provincials;" that is exactly what I am, having had no formal education in literature. With that caveat, however, my take is that when I sit down and write something "literary" there is far more freedom to experiment and I can try all sorts of things; for example, I could use a thousand semicolons in a row! Also, it's been my experience that literary magazines tend not to shy away from topics or language that genre venues, for example, might never consider for fear of alienating readers. I could be wrong on this, and am open to being told so!

On the other hand, literary stories require a greater attention to detail because you have to get the right language and tone for the magazines you're targeting; one wrong word can make the story feel too heavy handed or melodramatic. The same can probably be said for science fiction stories, but having read a lot of both, I'm not sure that genre magazines (not all, but many) have as high a bar. My literary short stories tend, therefore, to be short. Really short, because they take so much effort.

> Beyond the matter of length, do you find it easier writing short stories or novels?

For me, novels are easier. You have a lot of room to work with, there's plenty of space to get into the head of your characters, and you can pursue subplots that you'd never put in a short story. I have a horrible sales record when it comes to selling my SF short stories. Horrible.

> If you could, would you change places with any of your characters?

No way! Not yet anyway; maybe if I write about a character who lives in Nantucket and has the easiest life in the world - maybe then I'd change places. My main characters tend to be people who are hurting and fallible, but who take control of their lives and manage to salvage something. I'd hate to have it that hard.

> What was the hardest scene for you to write?

In Germline, almost every scene came easily. In book two (Exogene), however, every scene was difficult and I can't think of any one that stood out above the others. Exogene was difficult for two reasons. First, the main character is a woman and so took a lot of thought and observation to figure out what the protagonist was thinking and how she would respond in certain circumstances. Second, she was a genetically engineered human - artificial. So her experiences often differed greatly from ones that normal people would have had in the same situation. I really tried to get it right in Exogene, but that's for reader's and reviewers to judge, not me.

> When and where do you write?

I write between 4 and 7 or 8 in the morning and late at night because it's the only free time I get; I have a family and a full time job. Anna Gregson once quipped that this must be the reason my characters are so nutty, and she may be right because by the end of a book I'm totally sleep deprived.

> What’s the best/worst thing about writing?

The best thing: getting fan mail that sincerely appreciates what I've written because it lets me know that I've reached at least one person.

The worst thing: not knowing how a given book will be received by a general audience. It's terrifying.

> What is something you didn’t know about the publishing industry before you had your first book published?

I never imagined the schedules would be so tight. After accepting Germline for publication I had six months to write Exogene, and then six months for the final book in the series. It was extremely demanding. Also, I didn’t know how willing to take risks publishers would be. DongWon Song, an editor at Orbit, gave me - a complete unknown - a huge break and that fact isn't lost on me. Orbit displayed a kind of willingness to take risks that really made me think of publishers in a completely new light.

> Do you have any advice for hopeful authors?

Keep going. Keep writing. Ignore rejection as long as you're getting some personal notes indicating you're on the right track; if you're not getting personal rejections, stop and think about whether it's time to look for something else or at least take a short break.

Eventually your work will wind up on the right desk at the right time. Write short stories if that's what you really like, but if you really want to write a novel, write a novel. Your first novel doesn't have to sell and your second, third and fourth will be even better.

And go have a life outside of writing. I'd never trade my career experience for anything because I've run into so many people and situations that help me with my characters and my writing.

> Any tips against writers block?

Work through it. I had deadlines to help me, so whenever I got writers block there was always a date hanging over my head, which gave me no choice but to write no matter if I felt like it or not. I was almost paralyzed sometimes. But as soon as I started reading/editing what I'd already written, or typed more words, the block went away.

> How do you discipline yourself to write?

If I didn't have a contract and deadlines, I would find it hard to write more than a book a year because I have so much to keep me from writing; thanks DongWon!!!

> How many rejection letters did you get for your first novel or story?

Too many to count. No, I'm not kidding.

Movie Review: Conan the Barbarian (1982)

Movie Review: Conan the Barbarian
Directtor: John Milius, 1982
IMDB listing

Pros: genre classic, lots of action, intelligent female warrior-thief

Cons: boring, little character development, limited plot (character driven), Schwarzenegger does the barbarian warrior role well but isn't quite convincing as a thief

Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is taken as a slave after watching the destruction of his village by Thulsa Doom (James Earl Jones)'s warriors.  The movie follows Conan's life as he becomes a pit fighter and later a thief, culminating in a job that requires he save a young princess from the religious cult Thulsa Doom now leads.

Several things impressed me about this movie.  The lands Conan travels through are populated by diverse races - portrayed by a racially diverse cast.  The magician they encounter who narrates the events (played by Mako) is Asian.  Thulsa Doom is African American.  It makes the world feel real.

I also liked Sandahl Bergman's portrayal of Valaria.  She's introudced as a strong, competent warrior-thief.  While she's only in the last third of the film, she plays a pivital role in freeing the princess and saving Conan's life.  The only thing I found odd about her incllusion was the fact that, aside from the end credits, her name is never used.  I only knew who she was by having watched Conan the Destroyer as a child (where she's mentioned by name several times).

There was very little magic, and what there was was done with a realistic slant, so no bad special effects marred the film.

The plot (and I used the term loosely) was drawn out and, despite several fight scenes, rather boring.  There was a lot of Conan travelling, trying to find traces of Thulsa Doom with a voice over narration.  As for the characters, they're all very two dimensional.  There's no development beyond the forging of a few friendships.

Ultimately it's worth seeing as it's a genre classic, but don't expect a modern action movie.

Book Review: Snow Queen's Shadow by Jim C. Hines

Pros: great series conclusion, fast paced

Cons: one scene felt superfluous

Bea is dying and Snow has a plan to keep her around longer.  When her spell goes wrong she unwittingly releases something that takes control of her and others, Prince Jakob being a strange exception.  So she takes the boy when she leaves Lorindar's Palace and heads for home.

Making a beloved protagonist into the antagonist made this concluding volume of the Princess Series a heart wrenching one.  By the end of the book 'Snow' has done so many horrible things it's hard to imagine a good ending.  But Hines delivers one that fits the subject matter and neatly wraps up the series.

The pacing is fast - it's a quick, exciting read.  The protagonists' trip to see the fairies seems superfluous, but it's tied into the overarching plot well, making it a minor complaint.

If you haven't read this series, what are you waiting for?

The World SF Travel Fund

A group of international SF authors comprised of Lauren Beukes, Aliette de Bodard, Ekaterina Sedia, Cheryl Morgan and Lavie Tidhar has set up a peerbackers project to raise money "to enable one international person involved in science fiction, fantasy or horror to travel to a major genre event."

Their first recipient is a fellow SF Signal blogger, Charles Tan!

Charles is a tireless promoter of speculative fiction. Besides his own Bibliophile Stalker blog, he contributes to the Nebula Awards blog, the Shirley Jackson Award blog, SF Signal and The World SF Blog. He also edited two online anthologies of speculative fiction from the Philippines. Charles is highly regarded in the SF scene both in the USA and internationally. The Fund’s intention is to facilitate Charles’ travel to World Fantasy Con 2011 in San Diego, California. 

For more information, or to pledge money (there are rewards for pledges at each level of donation - generally consisting of ebooks from their various supporters), visit their peerbackers site or email worldsftravelfund@gmail.com. 

Thanks to Angry Robot Books for mentioning this endeavour on their site.

Free Book + Sampler

Phoenix Pick has announced their August Free Book.  It's James P. Hogan's The Multiplex Man.  The coupon code for redemption is: 99922991.  Here's the plot synopsis for the book:

HE HAD A STRANGER'S FACE -- AND A DEAD MAN'S MEMORIES! 

Richard Jarrow was a mild and unassuming teacher who was sure that the government knew best, with its strong environmental controls on industry and its equally stringent control of education and the media. He knew that the countries of the former Eastern Bloc, who now claimed to have more freedom than the United States, as well as booming economies fueled by their exploitation of the resources of space, were only spreading ridiculous propaganda, and they either would soon collapse, starved by their diminishing natural resources and choked in their own pollution -- or else they would attempt to steal the resources of the rest of the world, and have to be destroyed. Didn't the government say that was so?

And then his world went mad...

They're also instituting a monthly giveaway for their email subscribers, starting September.  The first prize is a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate.  All you need to do to be included in their drawings is join the email list. 


The authors that run SF Novelists are giving away a sampler of their books.  The first chapters of 25 books are included. 

"The free sampler is available in epub, mobi, LRF, and various Smashwords formats.  The selections are:

• 7th Sigma by Steven Gould
• Bone Shop by T.A. Pratt
• Bones of Faerie by Janni Lee Simner
• The Brahms Deception by Louise Marley
• Carousel Tides by Sharon Lee
• The Cloud Road by Martha Wells
• Dangerous Water by Juliet E. McKenna
• The Dread Hammer by Trey Shiels
• Flesh and Fire by Laura Anne Gilman
• Fright Court by Mindy Klasky
• The Heretic by Joseph Nassise
• House of the Star by Caitlin Brennan
• Indigo Springs by A.M. Dellamonica
• Jade Tiger by Jenn Reese
• Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis
• Medium Dead by Chris Dolley
• Midnight at Spanish Gardens by Alma Alexander
• Play Dead by John Levitt
• Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready
• The Snow Queen’s Shadow by Jim C. Hines
• Spellcast by Barbara Ashford
• The Spirit Lens by Carol Berg
• TruthSeeker by C.E. Murphy
• Up Against It by M.J. Locke
• With Fate Conspire by Marie Brennan"

Science Fiction and Fantasy Books Coming in September, 2011

With the exception of the Carina titles, this list is compiled using the Chapters/Indigo website and therefore indicate Canadian release dates for books.  If I've missed a title, mention it in the comments and I'll add it to the list.

Hardcover:

Torchwood: The Men Who Sold the World – Guy Adams

Spellbound – Blake Charlton

Into the Hinterlands – David Drake & John Lamshead

Final Days – Gary Gibson

Torchwood: First Born – James Goss

Changes – Mercedes Lackey

Prospero Regained – L. Jagi Lamplighter

The Bone House – Stephen Lawhead

Immortality Engine – George Mann

Dr. Who: The Coming of the Terraphiles – Michael Moorcock

Torchwood: Long Time Dead – Sarah Pinborough

All Men of Genius – Lev Rosen

The Highest Frontier – Joan Slonczewski

The Tears of the Sun – S. M. Stirling

How Firm a Foundation – David Weber

**Dragonships of the Vindras – Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman

Rogue – Michael Williamson

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire (20th Anniversary Edition) – Timothy Zahn

Trade Paperback:

Witch Song – Amber Argyle

The Hum and the Shiver – Alex Bledsoe

Halloween – Ray Bradbury

Kingdom of Summer – Gillian Bradshaw

The Warlord of Mars – Edgar Rice Burroughs

Rift Walker – Clay & Susan Griffith

Tesseracts 15: A Case of Quite Curious Tales – Julie Czerneda & Susan McGregor, Ed.

Ghosts By Gasslight: Stories of Steampunk and Supernatural Suspense – Jack Dann & Nick Gevers, Ed.

Against All Things Ending – Stephen Donaldson

Cold Fire – Kate Elliott

The Vampire Files – P. N. Elrod

Crack'd Pot Trail – Steven Erikson

Alone – Martha Fawcett

The Business of Death – Trent Jamieson

Blackdog – K. V. Johansen

Lord of Souls – Greg Keyes

Creatures: Thirty Years of Monsters – John Langan & Paul Tremblay, Ed.

The Crystal Variation – Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

The Savage Knight – Paul Lewis

Dead Inside: Do Not Enter – Lost Zombies

The Restoration Game – Ken Macleod

Everything I Need to Know I Learned from Dungeons & Dragons – Shelly Mazzanoble

The Rafters – A. C. Montgomery

Wayfinder – C. E. Murphy

The Realms Thereunder – Thomas Nelson

The Bible Repairman and Other Stories – Tim Powers

Briarpatch – Tim Pratt

Ganymede – Cherie Priest

Hellbent – Cherie Priest

The Baxter Effect – Dave Stern

The Pattern Scars – Caitlin Sweet

Dragonlance: Legends – Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman

The Braided Path – Chris Wooding

Star Trek TNG: Sins of Commission – Susan Wright

Mass Market Paperback:

The Spirit War – Rachel Aaron

Darkness Unbound – Keri Arthur

Myth-Interpretations – Robert Asprin

Conquer the Dark – L. A. Banks

Cryoburn – Lois McMaster Bujold

The Passage – Lois McMaster Bujold

Red Phoenix – Kylie Chan

A Thief in the Night – David Chandler

In Blood We Trust – Christine Cody

Darkness Falling – Peter Crowther

Bones of Empire – William Dietz

The Vengeful Dead – J. Duncan

Spider's Revenge – Jennifer Estep

Empire of Light – Gary Gibson

Bloodstone – Nancy Holzner

The Truth of Valor – Tanya Huff

The Broken Kingdoms – N. K. Jemisin

Alterant – Sherrilyn Kenyon & Dianna Love

Bolos: Their Finest Hour – Keith Laumer

Seer of Sevenwaters – Juliet Marillier

One Salt Sea – Seanan McGuire

Sins of the Angels – Linda Poitevin

Shadow Kin – M. Scott

Troubled Waters – Sharon Shinn

Coronets and Steel – Sherwood Smith

The High King of Montival – S. M. Stirling

Star Trek Vanguard: What Judgements Come – Dayton Ward

The Black Prism – Brent Weeks

**Dragonships of the Vindras – Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman

Warhammer: Thanquol's Doom – Clint Werner

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II – Sean Williams

** Both the Chapters/Indigo and Amazon sites list the books the same (by series name), not stating which volume these are and showing no cover art.

Carina Ebooks

Sparks in Cosmic Dust – Robert Appleton

Revealing Silver – Jamie Craig

Heart of the Druid – Barbara Longley

Captive Surrender – Linda Mooney

The Usual Apocalypse – Christine Price

Redemption – Eleri Stone

Altered Destiny – Shawna Thomas

Y A Fiction (This month had several books that may or may not have supernatural content.  So I apologize if I've missed something.  As always, post a comment and I'll add books to the list.)

City of Wind – Pierdomenico Baccalario

Sacrifice – Laura Burns

Drink, Slay, Love – Sarah Beth Durst

With the Enemy – Eva Gray

Monsters of Men – Patrick Ness
Tankborn - Karen Sandler

End of Days – Thomas Sniegoski

Six Days – Philip Webb

The Curse of the Wendigo – Rick Yancey