Blog Posts

Book Review: Zombies & Calculus by Colin Adams

/

If you’re looking for a good zombie novel, then just keep looking. But if you’d like a light refresher on mathematical principles with a side of peril, or if you need a gift for somebody taking calculus or pre-cal who doesn’t mind a sprinkling of gore, then Zombies & Calculus may be a good pick. The author, Colin Adams, is a professor at Williams College and the humor columnist for the Mathematical Intelligencer. He has written several other math-related books; this is his latest (published in September). A couple of videos starting here illustrate some of the scenarios in Zombies & Calculus, in case you want to get a sense of the book’s tone.

Blog Posts

Around the Podosphere #1: Podcasts of Note for 12/8/2014

/

All the genre-friendly podcasts recommended by your Skiffy and Fanty robogoblins in one convenient place! Interviews: The Agony Column interviews Anne Rice about her upcoming vampire novel, Prince Lestat. On Books: The Book Was Better takes a stab at the movie tie-in novel for Batman Returns. Galactic Suburbia has a recommendations for the year episode. Midnight in Karachi has its debut episode as Mahvesh Murad talks to The Time Traveler’s Wife author Audrey Niffenegger On Movies: Last Month, We Hate Movies covered Johnny Mnemonic, starring Keanu Reeves. The Incomparable crew dedicate an episode to Mystery Science Theater 3000, which will certainly make folks who were around in the old days very happy.  They also spend over an hour talking about the recent Star Wars VII:  The Force Awakens trailer, which is moderately insane, to say the least. The folks at Read It and Weep discuss the film adaptation of Mockingjay (part one). On Podcasting: The recent episode of Speculate! features Patrick Hester and Anton Strout on the subject of podcasting (dos, don’ts, etc.).  Obviously, the entire S&F crew should have been there, but it’s still worth listening to (:P). On Conspiracies: Taking a cue from our Torture Cinema review of Omega Man, Kevin Lux dedicates an entire episode to the CDU.  There’s also an episode on the history of cannabis, which is totally full of truth. On Conventions: The Three Hoarsemen discuss World Fantasy Convention in Arlington/D.C.; apparently, Shaun is mentioned more times than Paul in this one, which means something to someone somewhere…They also talk about some of the media they’ve been consuming, which should give you lots of ideas for things to buy. On History: Stuff You Missing in History Class discusses Henry Hudson in a two-part history adventure!  This might be of interest to anyone writing fantasy with seafaring peoples.

Blog Posts

Zork and the Great Underground Empire — #monthofjoy

/

West of House You are standing in an open field west of a white house, with a boarded front door. There is a small mailbox here. >open mailbox Opening the small mailbox reveals a leaflet. >take leaflet Taken. >read leaflet “WELCOME TO ZORK! ZORK is a game of adventure, danger, and low cunning. In it you will explore some of the most amazing territory ever seen by mortals. No computer should be without one!” Some of the earliest computer games had no graphics whatsoever. With a strictly text based interface, interactive fiction games by companies like Infocom defined a stratum of adventure games in the early and mid 1980’s. The Zork games were set in a fictional fantasy universe revolving around the Great Underground Empire — a civilization built in the ruins of an old, fallen civilization which colonized the realm underneath the earth. With manuals that extended the playground of the imagination, the Zork games were a highlight of Infocom’s worldbuilding in the midst of providing text adventures and puzzles that encouraged the imagination to bring the worlds to life.

Blog Posts

Ursula K. Le Guin: A Wellspring of Hope and Joy by John E. O. Stevens #monthofjoy

/

The literature of imagination, even when tragic, is reassuring, not necessarily in the sense of offering nostalgic comfort, but because it offers a world large enough to contain alternatives and therefore offers hope.” – Ursula K. Le Guin Joy is not something we feel in a vacuum; joy relates us to things, anchors us, unmoors us and sends us off on long voyages. Joy connects and energizes, ensorcels and inspires. It is the result of a powerful instance of interaction; a moment of encounter kindles a feeling of happiness, wonderment, and rejoicing. I can think of many joys I’ve encountered in reading fantastic literature:  authors who have invigorated me; ideas that have provoked me; and works that have shattered me. But for persistent joy, for great moments of ecstasy and small moments of guidance, and for a deep feeling of satisfaction, Ursula K. Le Guin remains a primary source. And what makes that joy so special, what often makes the joy I find in fantastika so dynamic, is that it gives me hope.

The Skiffy and Fanty Show Podcasts

235. Irish SF w/ Maura McHugh, Gareth Kavanagh, Michael Carroll, & Ruth Frances Long (The World SF Tour)

/

http://media.blubrry.com/skiffyandfanty/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/archive.org/download/SandFEpisode235IrishSFPanel/SandF%20–%20Episode%20235%20–%20Irish%20SF%20Panel.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSSGhosts, fairies, and the Emerald Isles, oh my! Gareth Kavanagh, Ruth Frances Long, Maura McHugh, and Michael Carroll join us to discuss Irish SF.  We tackle Ireland’s relationship to expatriate literature, the character of Irish writing, favorite reads, and much more. We hope you enjoy the episode! Note:  If you have iTunes and like this show, please give us a review on our iTunes page, or feel free to email us with your thoughts about the show! Here’s the episode (show notes are below): Episode 235 — Download (MP3) Show Notes: The Panelists Gareth Kavanagh’s Twitter Octocon Maura McHugh’s Website Maura’s Twitter Maura’s Work: Witchfinder: The Mysteries of Unland (w/ Kim Newman) Twisted Fairy Tales Twisted Myths Laydeez Do Comics Michael Carroll’s Website Michael’s Twitter Michael’s Work: Judge Dredd Year One Omnibus Hunter (book seven) Ruth Frances Long’s Website Ruth’s Twitter Ruth’s Work: A Crack in Everything (O’Brien Press) The Big Fat List of Stuff (note:  some of these are not of Irish origin; I’ve included everything the panelists mentioned): ArcadeCon Dublin International Comics Expo Eirtakon (anime convention) MCM Expo (London Comic Con) GaelCon British Comic Awards Irish Science Fiction Association Film: Song of the Sea (Will Collins; Tomm Moore)(Cartoon Saloon) The Secret of Kells Showrunners (Des Doyle) Irish 19th Century Gothic Tradition Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu James Joyce Flann O’Brien Anne McCaffrey Harry Harrison Diane Duane Morgan Llewellyn Michael Scott — Nicholas Flamel Eoin Colfer — Artemis Fowl Ian McDonald James White C.E. Murphy Sarah Rees Brennan Lynda E. Rucker Celine Kiernan Derek Landees — Skulduggery Pleasant series Kate Thompson Oisin McGann Lord Dunsany Garth Ennis Steve Dylan Will Simpson (Game of Thrones storyboard artist) Will Sliney Leeann Hamilton Anthea West Darrin O’Toole Maeve Clancy John Connolly Len O’Grady Meeting the Other Crowd Stephen Mooney Steve Walsh Susan Connolly Paul Anthony Short Peter O’Fallon Jordie Bellaire Our new intro music is “Time Flux” by Revolution Void (CC BY 3.0). That’s all, folks!  Thanks for listening.  See you next week.

Blog Posts

Why the Internet Can Occasionally Bring Me Joy by Michael J. Martinez — #monthofjoy

/

There are definitely times when being on the Internet is the antithesis of joyful. Yes, I’m looking at pretty much everyone who ever thought “social justice warrior” was A) an epithet, and B) something that should have an acronym. Sheesh. That said, I make it a policy never to argue on the Internet – not because I don’t have opinions I’m passionate about, but because I think taking all the cash out of my retirement account and setting it on fire would be a more productive use of my time and energy. At least the fire would provide light and heat. Arguing online drains both. But the Internet, believe it or not, can be a force for good. And as an author, I get to participate in a few joyful things that I wasn’t able to before I got published. To wit:

Scroll to Top