Marginalia

[coalescent]

Hmm. Haven't done one of these for a while. Two important bits of news first:

1. Tonight's BSFA London Meeting guest is the critic Gary K. Wolfe. He will be interviewed by Andrew McKie. I sincerely hope.

2. Strange Horizons needs reviewers. Specifically, reviewers interested in a broad range of speculative media who can say a lot in a small space. I know there are people reading this who can and do do this on a regular basis: I want your submissions! And spread the word far and wide. If you've got questions, ask away.

On to the rest of the links. First up: interview bonanaza! Paul Witcover at Fantastic Metropolis, Kelly Link at One Story (focusing on 'The Great Divorce'), and Ian McEwan at The Morning News and Spiegel.

The Fountain, Darren Aaronofsky's next film, sounds interesting.

Dirk Benedict is a moron. In other Galactica-related news, if you loved the piece of piano music on the soundtrack to episode 2x02 as much as I did, you might be glad to know that it's by Philip Glass and that you can download it here.

Lucius Shepard reviews War of the Worlds.

David Kipen gave a mixed review to the latest Harry Potter and got an inbox full of vitriol for his trouble. He addresses some myths about criticism:

Myth No. 1: Critics shouldn't reveal anything about a book's plot.

Myth No. 2: Any critic who disagrees with you must not have read the book.

Myth No. 3: All critics are frustrated writers.

There's a wiki for everything, these days.

And finally: Hamlet: the text adventure [via matociquala]

EDIT: via auros, a timeline for Primer. If you haven't seen the film, don't look at the timeline. In addition, if you haven't seen the film, see it as soon as possible. Don't find out what it's about first, just trust me on this one.

Comments

[cellardoor28.livejournal.com]

That interview didn't happen.

Dirk Benedict is not a moron, he is a saint and a huge part of my childhood. Ergo, anything that disagrees with my memory of him does not exist.

Also, I played that Hamlet when I was bored at work. Tis v funny.

[fba.livejournal.com]

Also, I played that Hamlet when I was bored at work. Tis v funny.

It is quite amusing at how far behind the curve Niall is on this isn't it?

I'm sure I first heard about it at least a year ago...

[cellardoor28.livejournal.com]

Well when I say work I mean SOLT, which I left last September. I reckon it was at least 18 months, maybe 2 years ago :p

Poor Niall. He'll catch up.

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

And to think I didn't post the link to Backstroke of the West because I thought it was too old. Oh, irony.

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

For future reference, when you hear about cool text adventures, TELL ME.

[storme]

You really didn't want to say there where I can see it. No, really.

Perhaps I should just point you at http://emshort.home.mindspring.com/literacy.htm instead of making a big list. It even links to other lists. Go get some interpreters, download some of those games, enjoy.

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

Hooray! Yet more ways to fritter away my rapidly-decreasing amount of spare time! :)

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

Ergo, anything that disagrees with my memory of him does not exist.

Sadly I'm not sure you can apply Hogg's First Law of Continuity to real life. :-/

[snowking.livejournal.com]

I do.

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

You are uniquely gifted.

[cellardoor28.livejournal.com]

Are you saying I'm not?

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

I couldn't read much of the Benedict interview, I couldn't stand it :-( Am much enjoying the new BSG though (we're about 6 eps into seaason 1) - I quite like the darkness; I've always been far more Blake's Seven than one-dimensional happy-joy-joy shows. Still not convinced I'll be able to cope when the various Boomer storylines come out, though, but then I'm just soppy.

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

*nods*

There are things I don't like about it, and I'm worried about some of the rumours floating around about s2, but it does a lot of things well. The sense of desperation and pressure is one of them.

[dyddgu.livejournal.com]

And isn't the witchhunt theme timely? (then again, I suppose such things always are...)

[sulkyblue.livejournal.com]

Cheers for the link to the music. I continue to be as impressed with the music choices on the show as much as I am with the plots, acting, scripts and effects.

You've just made me order the season 1 soundtrack from amazon damn you ;0)

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

Mwahaha. I'm not sorry at all. :)

Though I think I should mention that the Metamorphosis isn't, so far as I know, on the soundtrack. The Glass album it's from, Solo Piano, is pretty fine, though.

[ninebelow.livejournal.com]

a timeline for Primer.

Holy shit!

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

I know!

I have an A3 printout. It is barely legible. I will bring it this evening.

Strange Horizons short reviews

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

*cough* So any chance you could score a girl a review copy of Finder: The Rescuers?

If not, I'd be happy to do a piece on one of the older volumes, but I'm not sure what your policy on review timeliness is. But McNeill is definitely writing sf and deserves to be brought to a larger audience.

Re: Strange Horizons short reviews

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

*cough* So any chance you could score a girl a review copy of Finder: The Rescuers?

We can certainly try; watch this space, as they say. But I agree that Finder is fantastic--I haven't read nearly enough of it, and most of what I have read is a couple of years old, inspired by seeing her at a con--so whatever happens I'll get you to write something. :)

[sclerotic-rings.livejournal.com]

Good luck with the short reviews, and there's not the slightest trace of sarcasm in that request. Strange Horizons has always been a grand adventure, and if I ever returned to writing, I'd be beating on the door.

[coalescent.livejournal.com]

Thanks: I think there's a niche for us to fill, so I'm hopeful that we'll have some good stuff to publish. And if you ever do get the urge to review again, let me know. :)

Dirk Benedict is an idiot, yes

[applez.livejournal.com]

But I think this also reflects a generational divide ... apparently Edward James Olmos wasn't terribly keen on it after he acted in the pilot. I recall he said something about original BSG fans not liking the new one.

As for weak male characters in the new BSG, I have to say whatever weaknesses they appear to have makes them far more interesting characters. Just consider the growth in maturity and confidence of Apollo.

---

Final word: these are actors - of course they're idiots!

Re: Dirk Benedict is an idiot, yes

[applez.livejournal.com]

EDIT: American TV actors. One mustn't forget that these actors came from the generation before the divisions between TV, film, and theatre mostly broke down. TV was always the junkyard dog in the hierarchy of 'quality' actors.

Umberto Eco

[applez.livejournal.com]

There was a radio interview, 'City Arts & Lectures' aired last weekend on KQED (www.kqed.org) ... I'm sure you can find an archived stream there.