Blogs about scifi:
Why Aren't You Watching BSG?
If you're any kind of geek, you need to try the new Battlestar Galactica. Even you ladies with geeks should check it out. Yes, this is hardcore science fiction warfare, but sci-fi offers one of the freest mediums for storytelling these days. This is no space jaunt with fluffy haired flyboys and monkeys in space suits. Primarily, this an intensely engrossing drama, with real characters and real dilemmas.
Don't be shy, have just a little taste. Start with the 6 episode mini-series from iTunes or Netflix. How will you know you don't like it until you've tried it?
The new BSG is a very important part of geek culture. As the second half of the last season is approaching, the clock is ticking on geek-culture's ability to keep spoilers a secret. So, get hopping.
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Halloween Wrap.
I'm pleased to report that the trick-or-treaters liked the PlayDoh that I was worried about giving out. Sadly, we got less than a dozen spooky visitors. So we're just going to have to find some way to use the remains of the three bags of candy that we bought.
I just finished reading Idlewild, by Nick Sagan. (Yes, Nick is Carl's son.) Idlewild was delightfully appropriate for the season, and the best substitute for not having a new Gaiman book to read. It was tightly crafted dark fantasy, and I enjoyed how Sagan communicated a deep and emotional world with economic word use. I look forward to reading more of his work.
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Geek Alert.
We had company this weekend, and they kept us quite busy. We took them to the Experience Music Project / SciFi Museum; ostensibly to see the Disney Music Behind the Magic show. But since the husband and I found ourselves at EMP/SF Museum for the 3rd time in less than a year, we signed up for a membership. That's right - we are now card carrying members of the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame! Major geek alert! We will get some guest passes soon, so let us know if you want to visit.
While at the EMP side of the house, we learned that Jimi Hendrix was a Seattle native, and Louie Louie was a standard anthem during the days of The Kingsman v. Paul Revere and the Raiders.
At the SF side, was saw a very nice temporary exhibit of costumes from sf movies and tv. On exhibit was 7 of 9's skintight blue ...getup (she was much shorter than you'd think, and no panties were allowed under the suit); Greedo's upper half (according to the museum, Greedo's identity is incompetent bounty hunter); and an actual Viper pilot jumpsuit from the new BSG. They also had Harrison Ford's leather jacket and some Indiana Jones paraphenalia; this is not strictly sci-fi, but to be forgiven.) We were also reminded just how crazy Harlan Ellison is. Very crazy.
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The Man in the High Castle.
I just finished reading The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick. It is a great classic of science fiction, and I was inspired to read it by our recent trip to the Sci-Fi museum. I am sad to say that I did not enjoy Dick's Hugo winner much. I suspect that The Man in the High Castle was about something other than the story related by it's words. I'm incredulous that Dick would write a story about the actual events depicted; the story and characters are simply not meaningful or compelling enough. Since I'm too young to be a contemporary of this novel, I suspect I'm missing the necessary topical prerequisites to understand the subtext of the book. I've never been skilled at catching the secondary meaning of stories. Several other revered sci-fi novels (A Case of Conscience, A Canticle for Leibowitz, and particularly Stand on Zanzibar) have left me as confused and apathetic as The Man in the High Castle.
My next literary adventure is The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester. I think this will be a much better read. Neil Gaiman (Shame on you if you have read nothing of his.) wrote a introduction to the edition I have, and he talks about the fantastic future-resistance of The Stars My Destination. He even suggests that The Stars My Destination may be an early template for the cyber-punk genre. Perhaps I'll appreciate The Man in the High Castle more in a future reading. To quote Neil:
"You can no more read the same book again than you can step into the same river."
True that. I used to think that The Stainless Steel Rat was serious sci-fi.
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Thank you Penny Arcade.
Many thanks are owed to Penny Arcade for explaining certain things to about me to my husband. (In addition to an awesome comic, of course.) Case in point, the recent Disgaea 2 comic and blog entry have somewhat legitimized my newest addiction. Also, we could have had this exact conversation, with myself as the tall chap in blue, thank you very much. Brust's Jhereg series is fine, fast fiction, and if you can't get around a few little bitty dragons, I pity you.
Other random internet thoughts:
- My boss edited this hilarious video of extreme white water rafing. Hooray for those brave customers!
- Another super useful Firefox extension for web developer types is LORI - life of request info.
- Penny Arcade is using Google Analytics. Mad props to getting the milk for free.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some penguins to 'splode.