Marginalia

[coalescent]

Who could have guessed that UKIP would have come up with the best party election broadcast? (via mr_snips)

Although this one gives it some competition.

The definitive Star Wars fan conversation. Featuring Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright and Kevin Smith. Penny Arcade's all-too-plausible take on the mooted TV series should be read as well.

In the latest Asimov's, Cory Doctorow interviews Ray Kurzweil and discusses when the singularity is more than a literary device (the same issue appears to have a River of Gods-related (aeai are mentioned) novella by Ian McDonald, of which the opening is here).

An interview with Margo Lanagan.

A new nomenclature for flame wars.

Over at shortform, chance88088 and I discuss (well, mostly she says perceptive things and I prompt, but you know what I mean) Gavin Grant's excellent story 'Heads Down, Thumbs Up'. In addition despotliz reviews some of Nature's Futures, which get made publically available (with a few weeks' delay) at this page. I recommend Justina Robson's offering.

Speaking of shortform, I'm aware that I've been neglecting it quite shamefully over the past month. This month will be different. There will be discussion of the various Hugo short fiction lists, for starters; but more than that, I want to catch up on 2005's short fiction, because I've been lax about reading it as well as reviewing it. What should I seek out this month? What are the best stories you've read so far this year? Even better, go the community and write about them. :)

Comments

[chance88088.livejournal.com]

This month will be different.

so a post a day for the rest of the month to shortform ...? :P

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

Ha. No. :p

At the moment the three stories I definitely want to write something about are 'The Little Bear' by Justina Robson (from Constellations), 'Keyboard Variations...' by John McDaid (january F&SF) and 'The Last Detective' by Chabon. This is why I need more suggestions.

[greengolux.livejournal.com]

I'd just like to point out that I had already planned to post to shortform about the stories in Asimov's, so it's not like I'll just do anything you say. ;)

[gumbie_cat]

I love the UKIP broadcast. Thanks for the link.

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

Dammit! For one brief, exciting moment I thought I had power ...

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

No problem. :) Apparently the Green party's offering was some kind of dystopian-Orwellian riff, but I can't find a copy of that anywhere.

Favorite short story of 2005

[(Anonymous)]

My favorite story so far this year was in, I believe, the April issue of Realms of Fantasy: Christopher Barzak's haunting, emotionally-rich "The Language of Moths."

Other favorites are Larid Barron's "The Imago Sequence" (April F&SF) and M. Rickert's "The Harrowing" (February, maybe, F&SF).

Re: Favorite short story of 2005

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

Thank you, anonymous commenter! I've been disappointed that there were so few recommendations. I'm not sure where I can get a copy of Realms of Fantasy, but I should be able to get hold of the F&SF stories ok.