Thursday, April 30, 2015

Review: Old Venus


Old Venus
edited by George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois




Format: Hardcover, 589 pages
Publisher: Bantam
Cover Art: Stephen Youll
Release Date: March 3, 2015
ISBN-13: 978-0345537287



George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois have previously edited an anthology titled Old Mars, of stories written in the style of Edgar Rice Burroughs and Ray Bradbury.  Of Planetary Romance before the robotic explorers started showing us what the planets really looked like, and in the case of Mars we get a dry, red planet of canals and dead alien cities.

Old Venus is the same idea, but with Venus instead.  A Venus of rain, jungles, and dinosaurs like the stories of Leigh Brackett and C.L. Moore. Some of the stories deliberately imitate the same plots and styles of Planetary Romance, while most of them just use the basic inspiration and go for something more original. 

"Frogheads" by Allen Steele.  The first entry in the anthology follows a private investigator hired by a wealthy family to find a missing heir.  It's a somewhat dark story exposing the seedy underbelly of the illegal Venusian drug trade.  Nothing to write home about, but enjoyable enough.

"The Drowned Celestial" by Lavie Tidhar.  This is kind of an odd story about a human and a native Venusian who get involved with evil men, gods, and mysticism in the deep jungle.  It's technically well written, but I never really connected with it. 

"Planet of Fear" by Paul McAuley.  Standard strange planet mystery story.  Russian miners send a distress signal and when the military investigates they find the crew dead or missing.  The Russian distrust concerning Americans and science borders on cliche.  It's a fairly decent sci-fi story, not especially good, but not especially bad either. 

"Greeves and the Evening Star" by Matthew Hughes.  I had a rough start with this one trying to get a handle on the names and setting, but once I did I quite enjoyed it.  Victorian explorers come to Venus for adventure and to study native newts, however, the Venusian species are considerably more dangerous than their Earthly ones.  It's a straightforward alien monster story, but it helps that it's also something of a comedy so it's more enjoyable than you would think. 

"A Planet Called Desire" by Gwyneth Jones.  This is the first piece of fiction by this author that I've read.  It's also the first story in the collection that deliberately follows the same style of Planetary Romance as Edgar Rice Burroughs.  The main character uses some weird, inexplicable interplanetary mechanism to travel to Ancient Venus and has myriad adventures there with the native people, especially one woman in particular.  Rather forgettable actually.

"Living Hell" by Joe Haldeman.  Another monster story of a pilot trying to rescue some crash-landed scientists from the hostile jungle and learning a truth about Venus in the process.  Nothing particularly noteworthy, but it is written by Joe Haldeman after all so it's quite good.

"Bones of Air, Bones of Stone" by Stephen Leigh.  A man, crippled in an accident, attempts to reconnect with his former girlfriend, an adventurer who plans to dive down a deep hole in Venus's ocean after a previously failed attempt.  This story has a little bit of emotional change, a little bit of adventure, and a little bit of native mystery, but not much is really done with any of it.  Decent enough story, though I could have done with a bit more resolution. 

"Ruins" by Eleanor Arnason.  Locals are hired to guide a National Geographic team for a wildlife safari into the Jungles, but wind up with clashing with the CIA over alien ruins.  This is obstentiously a "into the jungle" story, which has some interesting stuff, but the bulk of it is really a political story about interference by America and the CIA.  It's a fairly good story if you don't mind a little preaching. 

"The Tumbledowns of Cleopatra Abyss" by David Brin.  Brin's story is quite good, though it doesn't quite fit the theme of the anthology as it's set on a Venus more like the real one.  Earth had started terraforming Venus when it was attacked by a hostile alien species.  Survivors took refuge in habitats at the bottom of Venus's newly formed ocean and are now eking out a meager existence.  Still, it's a pretty good story about hope and the future, and certainly worth reading.

"By Frogsled and Lizardback to Outcast Venusian Lepers" by Garth Nix.  Like "Ruins", this is another political story, about the American military experiments coming to light.  It doesn't follow the previous story point-for-point, and it does its own stuff, but it is similar.  That being said, it's still an interesting story. 

"The Sunset of Time" by Michael Cassutt.  I have to be honest, I've never cared for Cassutt's fiction and this story isn't any different.  It's about an engineer building a wormhole-like device on Venus, while the native Venusian population is preparing for some kind of apocalyptic event.  What really jerked me out of the story though was the planet's day.  As most fans of astronomy know, Venus has one of the strangest rotation periods in the solar system, and while all of the other stories in the anthology have days that reflect that of the real Venus or one more like Earth's, Cassutt's Venus is tidally locked with the sun like Earth and the Moon.  It's really strange.

"Pale Blue Memories" by Tobias S. Buckell.  Set during the 60s and 70s where the space race never  cooled down and now the race is on for Venus.  The Americans get there first only to crash-land and be enslaved by the natives.  A sad, but well written story about how some evils are not limited to one world and that the struggle always goes on. 

"The Heart's Filthy Lesson" by Elizabeth Bear.  A scientist has a fight with her wife and runs off into the jungle alone to prove herself by finding alien ruins.  Another "into the jungle" story, but it's really about how people, especially those who sometimes have big egos, relate and get along with each other.  A pretty decent story. 

"The Wizard of the Trees" by Joe R. Lansdale.  Like the Jones story, Lansdale copies the old style Burroughs, but is even more "faithful" and absurd, right down to the ridiculous plots and corny dialogue.  Good grief, the author could tried for something more original.  I haven't enjoyed any of Lansdale's work in the past and this one is no exception. 

"The Godstone of Venus" by Mike Resnick.  This one is actually a sequel to Resnick's short in Old Mars, though each story stands alone.  Reappearing are the two main characters: Scipio, kind of a mercenary/adventurer, and Merlin, an intelligent, telepathic, Venusian beast.  The plot is a straightforward treasure hunt into the jungle, but it's quite good and I enjoyed it.  Made me wonder if Resnick will write any more stories with these two characters. 

"Botanica Veneris: Thirteen Papercuts  by Ida Countess Rathangan" by Ian McDonald.  This story is perhaps the most creative and imaginative in the whole anthology.  McDonald pulls out all the stops to create a truly unique alternate history Venus with multiple races and humans, with politics, war, and class struggle, all as the backdrop for a Victorian widow researching Venusian flowers as a pretext for searching for her long-lost brother.  It reminded me a lot of Howard Waldrop and how he can create a truly unique story.  Absolutely fascinating and probably the best in the anthology.  

As with any anthology there are bound to be a few stinkers that a reader can't get into, but get past that and you'll find a good and interesting anthology with Old Venus.  Recommended for something a little different with a touch of nostalgia. 

Rating: 8/10.

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Eye on New Releases for April 28, 2015



Synopsis:
"Aza Ray Boyle is drowning in thin air. Since she was a baby, Aza has suffered from a mysterious lung disease that makes it ever harder for her to breathe, to speak—to live. So when Aza catches a glimpse of a ship in the sky, her family chalks it up to a cruel side effect of her medication. But Aza doesn't think this is a hallucination. She can hear someone on the ship calling her name.

Only her best friend, Jason, listens. Jason, who's always been there. Jason, for whom she might have more-than-friendly feelings. But before Aza can consider that thrilling idea, something goes terribly wrong. Aza is lost to our world—and found, by another. Magonia.

Above the clouds, in a land of trading ships, Aza is not the weak and dying thing she was. In Magonia, she can breathe for the first time. Better, she has immense power—but as she navigates her new life, she discovers that war between Magonia and Earth is coming. In Aza's hands lies fate of the whole of humanity—including the boy who loves her. Where do her loyalties lie?"

Friday, April 17, 2015

Updated Hugo nominee list


There's been some changes to the Hugo nominee list due to a few people turning down their nominations as well as a couple that turned out to be ineligible.  The new list:

Best Novel (1827 nominating ballots)
  • Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
  • The Dark Between the Stars by Kevin J. Anderson (Tor Books)
  • The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (Sarah Monette) (Tor Books)
  • The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu (Tor)
  • Skin Game by Jim Butcher (Roc Books)

Best Novella (1083 nominating ballots)
  • Big Boys Don’t Cry by Tom Kratman (Castalia House)
  • “Flow” by Arlan Andrews, Sr. (Analog, Nov 2014)
  • One Bright Star to Guide Them by John C. Wright (Castalia House)
  • “Pale Realms of Shade” by John C. Wright (The Book of Feasts & Seasons, Castalia House)
  • “The Plural of Helen of Troy” by John C. Wright (City Beyond Time: Tales of the Fall of Metachronopolis, Castalia House)

Best Novelette (1031 nominating ballots)
  • “Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust, Earth to Alluvium” by Gray Rinehart (Orson Scott Cards InterGalactic Medicine Show, May 2014)
  • “Championship B’tok” by Edward M. Lerner (Analog, Sept 2014)
  • “The Day the World Turned Upside Down” by Thomas Olde Heuvelt, Lia Belt Translator (Lightspeed Magazine, April 2014)
  • “The Journeyman: In the Stone House” by Michael F. Flynn (Analog, June 2014)
  • “The Triple Sun: A Golden Age Tale” by Rajnar Vajra (Analog, Jul/Aug 2014)

Best Short Story (1174 nominating ballots)
  • “On A Spiritual Plain” by Lou Antonelli (Sci Phi Journal #2, Nov 2014)
  • “The Parliament of Beasts and Birds” by John C. Wright (The Book of Feasts & Seasons, Castalia House)
  • “A Single Samurai” by Steven Diamond (The Baen Big Book of Monsters, Baen)
  • “Totaled” by Kary English (Galaxy’s Edge Magazine, July 2014)
  • “Turncoat” by Steve Rzasa (Riding the Red Horse, Castalia House)

Best Related Work (1150 nominating ballots)
  • “The Hot Equations: Thermodynamics and Military SF” by Ken Burnside (Riding the Red Horse, Castalia House)
  • Letters from Gardner by Lou Antonelli (The Merry Blacksmith Press)
  • Transhuman and Subhuman: Essays on Science Fiction and Awful Truth by John C. Wright (Castalia House)
  • “Why Science is Never Settled” by Tedd Roberts (Baen.com)
  • Wisdom from My Internet by Michael Z. Williamson (Patriarchy Press)

Best Graphic Story (785 nominating ballots)
  • Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal written by G. Willow Wilson, illustrated by Adrian Alphona and Jake Wyatt (Marvel Comics)
  • Rat Queens Volume 1: Sass and Sorcery written by Kurtis J. Weibe, art by Roc Upchurch (Image Comics)
  • Saga Volume 3 written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
  • Sex Criminals Volume 1: One Weird Trick written by Matt Fraction, art by Chip Zdarsky (Image Comics)
  • The Zombie Nation Book #2: Reduce Reuse Reanimate by Carter Reid (The Zombie Nation)

Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) (1285 nominating ballots)
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, concept and story by Ed Brubaker, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Marvel Entertainment, Perception, Sony Pictures Imageworks)
  • Edge of Tomorrow screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, and John-Henry Butterworth, directed by Doug Liman (Village Roadshow Pictures, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, 3 Arts Entertainment; Viz Productions)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman, directed by James Gunn (Marvel Studios, Moving Picture Company)
  • Interstellar screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, directed by Christopher Nolan (Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, Lynda Obst Productions, Syncopy)
  • The Lego Movie written by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, story by Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, LEGO Systems A/S Vertigo Entertainment, Lin Pictures, Warner Bros. Animation (as Warner Animation Group))

Dramatic Presentation (Short Form) (938 nominating ballots)
  • Doctor Who: “Listen” written by Steven Moffat, directed by Douglas Mackinnon (BBC Television)
  • The Flash: “Pilot” teleplay by Andrew Kreisberg & Geoff Johns, story by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg & Geoff Johns, directed by David Nutter (The CW) (Berlanti Productions, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television)
  • Game of Thrones: “The Mountain and the Viper” written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, directed by Alex Graves (HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions)
  • Grimm: “Once We Were Gods”, written by Alan DiFiore, directed by Steven DePaul (NBC) (GK Productions, Hazy Mills Productions, Universal TV)
  • Orphan Black: “By Means Which Have Never Yet Been Tried” written by Graham Manson, directed by John Fawcett (Temple Street Productions; Space/BBC America)

Best Editor (Short Form) (870 nominating ballots)
  • Jennifer Brozek
  • Vox Day
  • Mike Resnick
  • Edmund R. Schubert
  • Bryan Thomas Schmidt

Best Editor (Long Form) (712 nominating ballots)
  • Vox Day
  • Sheila Gilbert
  • Jim Minz
  • Anne Sowards
  • Toni Weisskopf

Best Professional Artist (753 nominating ballots)
  • Julie Dillon
  • Kirk DouPonce
  • Nick Greenwood
  • Alan Pollack
  • Carter Reid

Best Semiprozine (660 nominating ballots)
  • Abyss & Apex Wendy Delmater editor and publisher
  • Andromeda Spaceways In-Flight Magazine Andromeda Spaceways Publishing Association Incorporated, 2014 editors David Kernot and Sue Burtsztynski
  • Beneath Ceaseless Skies edited by Scott H. Andrews
  • Lightspeed Magazine edited by John Joseph Adams, Stefan Rudnicki, Rich Horton, Wendy N. Wagner, and Christie Yant
  • Strange Horizons Niall Harrison Editor-in-Chief

Best Fanzine (576 nominating ballots)
  • Black Gate edited by John O’Neill
  • Elitist Book Reviews edited by Steven Diamond
  • Journey Planet edited by James Bacon, Chris Garcia, Alissa McKersie, Colin Harris and Helen Montgomery
  • The Revenge of Hump Day edited by Tim Bolgeo
  • Tangent Online edited by Dave Truesdale

Best Fancast (668 nominating ballots)
  • Adventures in SciFi Publishing Brent Bower (Executive Producer), Kristi Charish, Timothy C. Ward, Shaun Ferrell & Moses Siregar III (Co-Hosts, Interviewers and Producers)
  • Dungeon Crawlers Radio Daniel Swenson (Producer/Host), Travis Alexander & Scott Tomlin (Hosts), Dale Newton (Host/Tech), Damien Swenson (Audio/Video Tech)
  • Galactic Suburbia Podcast, Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Presenters) and Andrew Finch (Producer)
  • The Sci Phi Show Jason Rennie
  • Tea and Jeopardy Emma Newman and Peter Newman
Best Fan Writer (777 nominating ballots)
  • Dave Freer
  • Amanda S. Green
  • Jeffro Johnson
  • Laura J. Mixon
  • Cedar Sanderson

Best Fan Artist (296 nominating ballots)
  • Ninni Aalto
  • Brad W. Foster
  • Elizabeth Leggett
  • Spring Schoenhuth
  • Steve Stiles

The John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (851 nominating ballots)
Award for the best new professional science fiction or fantasy writer of 2013 or 2014, sponsored by Dell Magazines (not a Hugo Award).

  • Wesley Chu*
  • Jason Cordova
  • Kary English*
  • Rolf Nelson
  • Eric S. Raymond
*Finalists in their 2nd year of eligibility.

Review: The Grace of Kings


The Grace of Kings
by Ken Liu




Format: Hardcover, 623 pages
Publisher: Saga Press
Cover Art: Sam Weber
Release Date: April 7, 2015
ISBN-13: 978-1481424271



Synopsis:
"Two men rebel together against tyranny—and then become rivals—in this first sweeping book of an epic fantasy series from Ken Liu, recipient of Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards. 
 
Wily, charming Kuni Garu, a bandit, and stern, fearless Mata Zyndu, the son of a deposed duke, seem like polar opposites. Yet, in the uprising against the emperor, the two quickly become the best of friends after a series of adventures fighting against vast conscripted armies, silk-draped airships, and shapeshifting gods. Once the emperor has been overthrown, however, they each find themselves the leader of separate factions—two sides with very different ideas about how the world should be run and the meaning of justice."
 
 
 
The Grace of Kings is the debut novel of acclaimed short fiction writer, Ken Liu, and is the first book in the Dandelion Dynasty.  I've been a big fan of his short fiction for a while now so I was eagerly looking forward to this book.  I was hoping he would be able to make the transition to a longer format and I have to say he succeeded wonderfully.

The setting is an island archipelago with many differing states that were conquered and unified in recent history by one of the other states.  The plot is loosely based on Chinese history of the fall of the Tang dynasty and the rise of the Han.  You can tell from the blurb there is obviously a rebellion, but what the blurb fails to convey is the scope of the story.  The friendship between the two main characters is the core of the novel, but it is not the only part.  The author has a lot to say about power, politics, friendship, tradition, class, and the roles of women.  Being epic fantasy there is a good deal of political manuvering as well as battles on land, sea, and air, from almost every land in the setting and over a long period of time.  However, it is the quieter moments that are most important. 

One of the things I really like about Liu's short fiction is that he is very good at creating emotional resonance with the stories.  A good example is "The Paper Menagerie", a heartbreaking story of a young man's ambivalence toward his Chinese-American heritage and his mother's small magics, which won the Hugo, the Nebula, and the WFA for novelette in 2012.  I'm happy to say that Liu managed to transfer much of this resonance to the novel.  Though the book is epic fantasy, it doesn't always feel like it because Liu often handles the big stuff quickly in chapters or paragraphs, almost like background, while concentrating on character moments.  Gary K. Wolfe of Locus magazine referred to this as a character-driven epic, which certainly fits.  As a consequence, there is a lot that happens in this book and it packs quite a punch.  Most other authors would need a trilogy or two to cover this much ground, while Liu does it one novel.

I do have one or two minor quibbles.  On occasion it feels like Liu isn't completely confident writing  longer fiction.  And towards the end of the book, the character moments become a little superseded by the plot so that it feels like more of a chronicle.  This was only a minor issue for me, but I thought it should be noted. 

I also want to add that there is a prequel novelette called "None Owns the Air", set some decades before The Grace of Kings, that tells about the development of airships.  It's not necessary in order to read the novel, but I think it's worth reading on its own. 

The Grace of Kings is a spectacular debut novel and I would heartily recommend it to everyone.

Rating: 9/10.

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Eye on New Releases for April 14, 2015



Synopsis:
"Twenty years ago, feared general Cobalt Zosia led her five villainous captains and mercenary army into battle, wrestling monsters and toppling an empire. When there were no more titles to win and no more worlds to conquer, she retired and gave up her legend to history.

Now the peace she carved for herself has been shattered by the unprovoked slaughter of her village. Seeking bloody vengeance, Zosia heads for battle once more, but to find justice she must confront grudge-bearing enemies, once-loyal allies, and an unknown army that marches under a familiar banner.

FIVE VILLAINS. ONE LEGENDARY GENERAL. A FINAL QUEST FOR VENGEANCE."

Friday, April 10, 2015

Review: mini-reviews of Trigger Warning, Colours in the Steel, Jingo, and The Voyage of the Basilisk


Trigger Warning is Neil Gaiman's third collection of short fiction featuring his most recent work from the last few years.  It's a bit of a mix of both shorter and longer stories as well as poetry.  Gaiman himself says he usually prefers collections that more similar in theme and structure and I have to say I agree with him.  The poems were fine, but I had some trouble getting into the shorter stories.  The longer ones were better, maybe because Gaiman spent more time laying the groundwork for the story. 

Rating: 7/10.


I'm a pretty big fan of K.J. Parker, but had never gotten around to reading the author's debut novel, Colours in the Steel.  It's a pretty decent fantasy, though it does have some of the weaknesses of other debut novels.  The plot is a little light, like the story doesn't quite know where it's going.  Parker also hasn't quite fleshed out their style yet either.  On the other hand, the author's wry sense of humor is definitely present, as is the various commentary on human nature.  It's quite a decent debut novel and I will be reading the rest of the books in the trilogy soon.

Rating: 7.5/10.


I picked up Jingo not long Pratchett's passing.  I hadn't read any of his books for a little while so I felt it was time again to continue with Discworld.  This one is a satire on war.  It's a pretty good book, though it feels like it tries to do too much starting with a mystery for the Night's Watch, which then segues into the war.  Probably just a little too much plot for one book.  Anyway, on to the next! 

Rating: 7.5/10.




Voyage of the Basilisk is the third book in Marie Brennan's Lady Trent series.  This one follows the narrator as she makes a trip around the world to study dragons in various exotic locales.  In this book, we see many new locations and new types of dragons, though perhaps it feels a little too similar to the previous books.  If you've read the first two in the series, then you know how this is going to go; studying dragons and adventures followed by another important contribution to the political background situation.  It just starting to feel a little too repetitious at this point, and depending on your point of view that may or may not be a bad thing.   

Rating: 8/10.

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Eye on New Releases for April 7, 2015



Synopsis:
"Two men rebel together against tyranny—and then become rivals—in this first sweeping book of an epic fantasy series from Ken Liu, recipient of Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy awards. 
 
Wily, charming Kuni Garu, a bandit, and stern, fearless Mata Zyndu, the son of a deposed duke, seem like polar opposites. Yet, in the uprising against the emperor, the two quickly become the best of friends after a series of adventures fighting against vast conscripted armies, silk-draped airships, and shapeshifting gods. Once the emperor has been overthrown, however, they each find themselves the leader of separate factions—two sides with very different ideas about how the world should be run and the meaning of justice.

Fans of intrigue, intimate plots, and action will find a new series to embrace in the Dandelion Dynasty."

Sunday, April 5, 2015

2015 Hugo Nominees

The final nominees for the 2015 Hugos were announced this weekend.  There are a large number of unfamiliar authors and publishers on this as well as some rather, uh, surprising choices, mainly because of the Sad Puppy and Rabid Puppy slates by Brad Torgersen and Vox Day.

Best Novel (1827 nominating ballots)
  • Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie (Orbit US; Orbit UK)
  • The Dark Between the Stars by Kevin J. Anderson (Tor Books)
  • The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison (Sarah Monette) (Tor Books)
  • Lines of Departure by Marco Kloos (47North)
  • Skin Game by Jim Butcher (Roc Books)

Best Novella (1083 nominating ballots)
  • Big Boys Don’t Cry by Tom Kratman (Castalia House)
  • “Flow” by Arlan Andrews, Sr. (Analog, Nov 2014)
  • One Bright Star to Guide Them by John C. Wright (Castalia House)
  • “Pale Realms of Shade” by John C. Wright (The Book of Feasts & Seasons, Castalia House)
  • “The Plural of Helen of Troy by John C. Wright (City Beyond Time: Tales of the Fall of Metachronopolis, Castalia House)

Best Novelette (1031 nominating ballots)
  • “Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust, Earth to Alluvium” by Gray Rinehart (Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show, May 2014)
  • “Championship B'tok” by Edward M. Lerner (Analog, Sept 2014)
  • “The Journeyman: In the Stone House” by Michael F. Flynn (Analog, June 2014)
  • “The Triple Sun: A Golden Age Tale” by Rajnar Vajra (Analog, Jul/Aug 2014)
  • “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” by John C. Wright (The Book of Feasts & Seasons, Castalia House)

Best Short Story (1174 nominating ballots)
  • “Goodnight Stars” by Annie Bellet (The End is Now (Apocalypse Triptych Book 2), Broad Reach Publishing)
  • “On A Spiritual Plain” by Lou Antonelli (Sci Phi Journal #2, Nov 2014)
  • “The Parliament of Beasts and Birds” by John C. Wright (The Book of Feasts & Seasons, Castalia House)
  • “Totaled” by Kary English (Galaxy's Edge Magazine, July 2014)
  • “Turncoat” by Steve Rzasa (Riding the Red Horse, Castalia House)

Best Related Work (1150 nominating ballots)
  • “The Hot Equations: Thermodynamics and Military SF” by Ken Burnside (Riding the Red Horse, Castalia House)
  • Letters from Gardner by Lou Antonelli (The Merry Blacksmith Press)
  • Transhuman and Subhuman: Essays on Science Fiction and Awful Truth by John C. Wright (Castalia House)
  • “Why Science is Never Settled” by Tedd Roberts (Baen.com)
  • Wisdom from My Internet by Michael Z. Williamson (Patriarchy Press)

Best Graphic Story (785 nominating ballots)
  • Ms. Marvel Volume 1: No Normal written by G. Willow Wilson, illustrated by Adrian Alphona and Jake Wyatt (Marvel Comics)
  • Rat Queens Volume 1: Sass and Sorcery written by Kurtis J. Weibe, art by Roc Upchurch (Image Comics)
  • Saga Volume 3 written by Brian K. Vaughan, illustrated by Fiona Staples (Image Comics)
  • Sex Criminals Volume 1: One Weird Trick written by Matt Fraction, art by Chip Zdarsky (Image Comics)
  • The Zombie Nation Book #2: Reduce Reuse Reanimate by Carter Reid (The Zombie Nation)

Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) (1285 nominating ballots)
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier screenplay by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, concept and story by Ed Brubaker, directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Marvel Entertainment, Perception, Sony Pictures Imageworks)
  • Edge of Tomorrow screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, and John-Henry Butterworth, directed by Doug Liman (Village Roadshow, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, 3 Arts Entertainment; Viz Productions)
  • Guardians of the Galaxy written by James Gunn and Nicole Perlman, directed by James Gunn (Marvel Studios, Moving Picture Company)
  • Interstellar screenplay by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan, directed by Christopher Nolan (Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures, Lynda Obst Productions, Syncopy)
  • The Lego Movie written by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, story by Dan Hageman, Kevin Hageman, Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, directed by Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, LEGO Systems A/S Vertigo Entertainment, Lin Pictures, Warner Bros. Animation (as Warner Animation Group))

Dramatic Presentation (Short Form) (938 nominating ballots)
  • Doctor Who: “Listen” written by Steven Moffat, directed by Douglas Mackinnon (BBC Television)
  • The Flash: “Pilot” teleplay by Andrew Kreisberg & Geoff Johns, story by Greg Berlanti, Andrew Kreisberg & Geoff Johns, directed by David Nutter (The CW) (Berlanti Productions, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television)
  • Game of Thrones: “The Mountain and the Viper” written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, directed by Alex Graves (HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead; Television 360; Startling Television and Generator Productions)
  • Grimm: “Once We Were Gods”, written by Alan DiFiore, directed by Steven DePaul (NBC) (GK Productions, Hazy Mills Productions, Universal TV)
  • Orphan Black: “By Means Which Have Never Yet Been Tried” written by Graham Manson, directed by John Fawcett (Temple Street Productions; Space/BBC America)

Best Editor (Short Form) (870 nominating ballots)
  • Jennifer Brozek
  • Vox Day
  • Mike Resnick
  • Edmund R. Schubert
  • Bryan Thomas Schmidt

Best Editor (Long Form) (712 nominating ballots)
  • Vox Day
  • Sheila Gilbert
  • Jim Minz
  • Anne Sowards
  • Toni Weisskopf

Best Professional Artist (753 nominating ballots)
  • Julie Dillon
  • Jon Eno
  • Nick Greenwood
  • Alan Pollack
  • Carter Reid

Best Semiprozine (660 nominating ballots)
  • Abyss & Apex Wendy Delmater editor and publisher
  • Andromeda Spaceways In-Flight Magazine Andromeda Spaceways Publishing Association Incorporated, 2014 editors David Kernot and Sue Burtsztynski
  • Beneath Ceaseless Skies edited by Scott H. Andrews
  • Lightspeed Magazine, edited by John Joseph Adams, Stefan Rudnicki, Rich Horton, Wendy N. Wagner, and Christie Yant
  • Strange Horizons Niall Harrison Editor-in-Chief

Best Fanzine (576 nominating ballots)
  • Black Gate, edited by John O’Neill
  • Elitist Book Reviews edited by Steven Diamond
  • Journey Planet edited by James Bacon, Chris Garcia, Alissa McKersie, Colin Harris, and Helen Montgomery
  • The Revenge of Hump Day edited by Tim Bolgeo
  • Tangent SF Online, edited by Dave Truesdale

Best Fancast (668 nominating ballots)
  • Adventures in SF Publishing Brent Bower (Executive Producer), Kristi Charish, Timothy C. Ward & Moses Siregar III (Co-Hosts, Interviewers and Producers)
  • Dungeon Crawlers Radio Daniel Swenson (Producer/Host), Travis Alexander & Scott Tomlin (Hosts), Dale Newton (Host/Tech), Damien Swenson (Audio/Video Tech)
  • Galactic Suburbia Podcast, Alisa Krasnostein, Alexandra Pierce, Tansy Rayner Roberts (Presenters) and Andrew Finch (Producer)
  • The Sci Phi Show Jason Rennie
  • Tea and Jeopardy Emma Newman and Peter Newman

Best Fan Writer (777 nominating ballots)
  • Dave Freer
  • Amanda S. Green
  • Jeffro Johnson
  • Laura J. Mixon
  • Cedar Sanderson

Best Fan Artist (296 nominating ballots)
  • Ninni Aalto
  • Brad Foster
  • Elizabeth Leggett
  • Spring Schoenhuth
  • Steve Stiles

The John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer (851 nominating ballots)
Award for the best new professional science fiction or fantasy writer of 2013 or 2014, sponsored by Dell Magazines (not a Hugo Award).

  • Wesley Chu*
  • Jason Cordova
  • Kary English*
  • Rolf Nelson
  • Eric S. Raymond

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Review: Cold Comfort and Other Stories


Cold Comfort and Other Stories
by David McDonald

Format: ebook
Publisher: Clan Destine Press
Cover Art: ???
Release Date: December 2014
ISBN-13: 978-0992492557






David McDonald is an Australian speculative fiction author who has written several short stories and his first novel, a novelization of a Canadian movie, was released last month.  For full disclosure, the author is a friend of mine.  The collection, Cold Comfort and Other Stories, features three of McDonald's short stories, two reprints and one original.

"Cold Comfort."  This first story is an apocalyptic tale set centuries in the future where Earth is in the grips of an Ice Age and humanity is now confined to domed structures.  The main character, Vanja, is a woman trader who travels between the settlements bringing crafts and news, though her true passion is being an explorer and learning history.  After an attack by wild animals, Vanja comes across a dome that has not had a visitor for years and must deal with their backward preconceptions.  In the process, she learns the truth behind humanity's precarious existence.

"Cold Comfort" is quite a good story with good prose, competent writing, and an interesting main character.  The use of prejudice is well handled without overdoing it and so is the revelation of the reason for mankind's current existence.  I could easily see this expanded into a novel.  The only quibbles I have with the story have to do with a few elements of the world-building.  For instance, Vanja is a trader, however, she doesn't seem to carry anything except a small backpack's worth of items for trade, which to me would hardly justify her journeys.  Or at least, we the readers don't "see" the items; we're only told she has them.  So perhaps a little more "showing" instead of "telling". 

"Through Wind and Weather."  This story is the shortest of the bunch at just a couple of pages.  It's about a space pilot who teams up with a wacky A.I. to deliver badly needed goods to a planet and must survive solar storms to get there in time. 

There is a lot of good stuff in this story: solar storms, a bold pilot, an A.I. considered odd even for his kind, and a quick, tense plot.  While reading this I was thinking that this story really needs to be longer to really explore everything properly, until I got to the end and realized the story is long enough for what it is.  I can't reveal anything without spoiling it, but I have to say it feels strange that the story length is both just right and not long enough. 

"Our Land Abounds."  The last story is the original of the three and might be the most polished.  "Our Land Abounds" is set in the near-future where the world has suffered from shortages in food and other resources while Australia has manged to prosper by using its isolation to its advantage  The main character works in the government as an immigration officer who is hardened to his job, but still feels empathy with the people he deals with. 

I thought this was a good story dealing with immigration and scarcity, about what happens when people and countries do what is needed to survive.  The main issue I have is that it really isn't long enough.  The main character empathizes with an immigrant, but there isn't enough done with how he comes to feel that way and what he does with those feelings after. 

Cold Comfort and Other Stories is a pretty decent collection of stories from an up and coming author.  The stories aren't perfect so McDonald still has a little ways to go as a writer, but with more experience he will certainly make a name for himself.

Rating: 7.5/10.

Artist Spotlight: Todd Lockwood



This month's artist spotlight is Todd Lockwood.  He's been around for quite a while doing the cover art for books like Tobias S. Buckell's Xenowealth books, Tad Williams' Shadowmarch books, and more recently the Lady Trent books by Marie Brennan with accompanying interior illustrations.  Lockwood hasn't updated his website in a while, but you can still view a large part of his portfolio.  His website is here.