Congratulations to all on the Hugo shortlists. I have read two of the novels and two of the novellas, which is good for me (unprecedented in respect of the novellas) - and have reviewed three of those four, which means reviewing both of those shortlists is kind of tantalisingly in reach. 3 months!
Congratulations!!
Congratulations!!
Congratulations to Paul Kincaid! Colourfields is a Hugo Award finalist
Next instalment in my #Tolkien reread; 'Rivendell and the Lords of Exile'. Here I discuss how Rivendell as experienced in #LOTR differs from Rivendell in The Hobbit, think about Glorfindel, and throw in a bonus discussion of various Tolkien/LOTR companions.
contract as all powerful then it generates its own remorseless logic. This is probably unavoidable. I wrote a column for Vector last year discussing the links between the laws of hospitality and the laws of storytelling, and the same power dynamic plays here. A game's a game. 41/-
... although one becomes magically undead and we assume the other will come back. But if the TV series ending is broadly accurate, then I would say that the series as a whole breaks the Author-Reader contract, and hence has become literally unfinishable. In other words if you take the A-R ... 40/
volumes, killed ANY other characters dear to the readers in unexpected ways...' Depends what you mean by unexpected, I suppose. But, even if you say that Robb is built up to be killed off in a way familiar to genre readers, of the viewpoint characters both Catelynn and Jon are technically killed 39/
This is not a criticism just a fannish quibble but from the opening author-reader contract: 'After Ned Stark's unexpected death, Martin's readers are prepared to genuinely fear for the life of any character at any time, adding great power to the series. Martin has not, in the four subsequent... 38/-
Thanks! I guess the chapter is intended as an account of romance for SF readers who don't read romance, but I'm interested to hear opinions from romance critics.
Yeah. Although his first thought after deciding not to marry her to Aragorn was to kill her off. So, this is at least a better outcome than that.
Applying the logic of some of the analysis in this book to my LOTR read, makes me realise Tolkien breaks the author-reader contract by having Aragorn marry Arwen not Éowyn. (We know he changed his mind on this late in the day). So, it's like legit for me to be upset about this. So, worth buying 37/-
*wakes up in the middle of the night* And has a chain of thought relating to what I've been discussing on here yesterday which ends at 'I prefer the version of Blade Runner with the voiceover'. Feel free to respond/ignore. *goes back to sleep*
3 more women writers (Juliet McKenna, Aliya Whiteley, E. J. Swift) have won the BSFA best novel since then, taking the total number of women winners to 10. Also, McKenna and Nina Allan have both joined list of women nominated at least three times. (2/2)
Post from 3 years ago on BSFA Awards historically and the changes made in 1979-80. Interesting because the context back then was an overly alarmist discussion of the need to break free from 'the Ghetto': a contrast with the genre debate now? I need to update the contents of this to reflect that 1/2
Purple background, white text, which says Both novels, when considered alongside their audience and context, support a particular reading constructed through their speculative settings: those who control the lives of trans kids and keep them from the structures that support them can and should be rejected. "Trans Possibilities in the Speculative Works of Andrew Joseph White" -- Leo Astrum
In which Leo Astrum compares two works by Andrew Joseph White, looking at what options are available to the trans characters, and finds a common message for readers...
Read it now by subscribing: AUD30/yr gets you this and 11 other essays! (About GBP16 or USD22.)
www.speculativeinsight.com/subs
Thanks for the encouragement. I think it raises/provokes some interesting questions, which no doubt will manifest in other venues over coming weeks (as in I know some people who will be reviewing it).
where those who want can sit or ply their trade so to speak. That's where I want to ply my trade. So, it doesn't really bother me if I'm not going to be let in the gates. The opportunities are better out here anyway, if that makes sense. (Also, memo to self: reread Tehanu). 36/
to read Middlemarch, discussed here in interesting respects. It's part of that history but it's also the case that Middlemarch is read by people who don't only read romance fiction. In other words, there has to be a blurry hinterland, or, in fantasy terms, the encampment outside the city walls, 35/
specific imprints. In other words, the conversation is not purely within the genre but goes across it. I like the cross-genre conversation but I kinda think you need some conception of genre in the first place, to have that cross genre conversation. I was reminded of my new year's resolution... 34/
does some things better on whole than general fiction, e.g. friendship in romance, as argued here. Also there are specific criteria to meet to publish in certain romance imprints. But it's also the case that other writers read genre and play around with those conventions in books not in those... 33/
observable fact that there are genres that have formed over time through an interaction between publishing history and readerships. If you look at how those change over time you get a picture of historical social change. This comes across in the romance chapter. I think it's also true that... 32/
...a view on this. I'm not entirely sure how we'd know but I'm prepared to accept that there are readers that predominantly read only one genre. But I know more examples of people who, say, like crime but do sometimes read something else. Is there accessible marketing data on this? It's an... 31/
Having finished section 1, I would argue that over half of it, including the 3 longest essays (SF publishing, manga and Anime, genre romance), is historically framed. What I'm interested in is the presumption expressed in the romance essay, that most/many readers only read one genre. I don't ... 30/
Guardian mobile app headline: Starmer says it 'beggars belief' he wasn't told about Mandelson vetting failure as he faces down the Commons. Photo is of the rightwing UK Prime Minister.
Quite. Someone on the Guardian mobile app enjoyed putting that headline on the rolling news thread.
It's Monday, it's review day at @strangehorizons.bsky.social!
Here's @hanacarolina.bsky.social on Krackle's Last Movie by Chelsea Sutton (@splitlippress.com), a novel which "posits each 'monstrous' character as a voice and a face of various responses to difference."
In practical terms, the genesis of the book is fairly straightforward, surely. They taught a couple of online courses together and put the thinking of that together with other discussions/articles over the years and pitched/published, with an aim for award eligibility. It's a commercial project.
I hope not; in any context. Tbh, I don't think the book is primarily aimed at 'literary sf' critics. I think it's positioning itself as an historical argument. I don't think it's trying to be another manoeuvre in that kind of debate (as in your screenshot). I don't think that's a live question today
Maybe, that's just me.
That may well happen anyway.