Virtual Research Conference "Applying Research in Practice" live feed
9 November 2011, 10:11 am tags: research, conference, communication, twitter.
Today I'm attending a virtual research conference called "Applying Research in Practice," hosted by my alma mater's Society for Technical Communication. The whole thing is devoted to the brave new world of online/electronic communication, just the the sort of thing that's right up my alley.
To kick start my involvement (humble, aren't I?), I announced my attendence on Twitter this morning and decided to coin a hashtag for my tweets of the day: #arpcon. I'm embedding a live feed of all tweets releated to the conference below. Once I'm done soaking up knowledge and producing Faulkner-like stream of consciousness reactions, I'll write a blog post summarizing the panels and what they had to say.
Underrated Science Fiction
3 September 2011, 11:09 am tags: science fiction, fan, book, movie, television.
So I was checking Twitter yesterday, and saw a Duncan Jones retweet for this contest:
Less than one day left to win MOON on Blu-Ray! Fans of @ManMadeMoon - Enter now, it's easy! http://t.co/HxBeq7Lless than a minute ago via web 
Favorite 
Retweet 
Reply
thewarrenreport
thewarrenreport
Tweet pic courtesy of Blackbird Pie.
Here's what the contest entailed:
When Duncan bellied up to The High Bar he provided clues to unraveling SOURCE CODE and shared his picks for under-appreciated genre classics. Now, let’s find out yours.
** Submit a list of your five favorite under-sung sci-fi books and/or movies below, in the comments, by Noon (PST), Friday, September 2nd, 2011 and be eligible to win a copy of MOON on blu-ray or a complete collection of The Warren Report tv series on dvd.**
I knew I'd love to win a copy of Moon, Blu-Ray or not. Fortunately, living on the East Coast, I had a bit of time to type up a comment prior to noon PST. Here are my thoughts on underrated science fiction, with links, pictures, and a bit more commentary added. Remember, it's not so much what are the best science fiction works out there, but good stories that have been overlooked or overshadowed.
Books
On Basilisk Station by David Weber: recently read the first two Honor Harrington books and can't believe I haven't heard of them before. The first one, Basilisk Station, has an incredibly awesome space battle, and the way Weber's thought out a post earth diaspora almost gives Foundation a run for it's money. You can read my full review to get an idea of how much I like this book. Honestly, I'm shocked this series hasn't been greenlit for a film/television project (considering almost everything else has). Maybe web series creators can give it a shot.
Star Surgeon by Alan E. Nourse: I listen to the audio recording from Librivox all the time, and am continually impressed with a fun story that manages to be chalk full of science. I only wished Nourse had written more about his universe (a la Asimov); maybe then more people would have heard of this early scifi story. The author himself is a subject for lack of appreciation, since many don't realize that the title Bladerunner didn't originate with Ridley Scott but is actually the name of a Nourse novel. To quote Amazon.com's description: In 2014 seventeen-year-old Billy Gimp risks great danger as a procurer of illegal medical supplies for a skilled surgeon determined to provide health care for people considered unqualified for legal medical aid.
Timely, much?
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: everyone's always talking about Big Brother and 1984, but for my money BNW is a far more nuanced and believable distopia, not to mention a better written novel. Huxley's description of the way people choose to live always struck me as more credulous than an all-powerful oppressive government. Hero John Savage's status as an outsider looking in on the present makes the story that much more interesting and horrific.
Movies
Gattaca: some have named it already, but I'm still surprised this film isn't more wildly watched and discussed, considering how timely the subject matter is. We're already grappling with issues of how to deal with the aftermath of artificial insemination, and the potential privacy conflict which the mapping of the human genome. How much do our genes determine our reality and destiny? Beyond that, the story is great, the acting good, and the music soars.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country: I'm going out on a limb here by naming a Star Trek property, but how many people even know about this one? It has one of the better plots of the ST movies (politics, murder, better thought-out and less obvious villains) and wonderful focus on the the arcs of the big 3 (with Kirk and Spock on seeming opposite sides of the conflict), not to mention an early Michael Dorn appearance. Seriously underrated.
Television
Babylon 5: it's amazing to me how little press this series gets from the scifi crowd. Whether it's top ten lists, fan fights, or cosplay, I rarely see references to this little gem. Sure, there are some episodes that aren't as good, sure the last season wasn't it's best, and yes, it's more mystical than some scifi fans like. But I'd put seasons 2-4 against anything the more known franchises have out there. Babylon 5 was revolutionary for the genre on the small screen in both visual effects and character/plot arcs that ran for years. Not to mention the great humor and pathos it delivered, along with an incredible sense of the alien cultures represented. B5 totally deserves more respect than the fandom community gives it.
Response
After posting my entry I got this reply from the blog author:
I do love your well-reasoned advocacy, Michelle, and I join you in your support of Brave New World over 1984.
To be honest, I never gave Babylon 5 a fair shot, maybe I will now have to do so.
Well, I can take heart that no matter what the contest's results, I may have gotten Babylon 5 a bit more respect. Mission accomplished.
What about you? What works do you feel need a little more love?
Book Review: On Basilisk Station by David Weber
17 August 2011, 11:08 am tags: science fiction, book review, On Basilisk Station, David Weber, Honor Harrington.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Every now and then a book blows away your suppositions and charges full steam ahead into your imagination. It is going to succeed or die trying. On Basilisk Station by David Weber is just such a story and it positively triumphs. I devoured this novel, and the burning question I had upon its conclusion (beyond finding out whether my library stocked the sequel) was, "Why haven't I heard of you before?"
Quick summary: Honor Harrington's first command proves less of a promotion and more of a punishment when she learns that a bigwig in the Royal Manticorian Navy has chosen her ship, the Fearless, to test a fancy new weapons system that actually handicaps her tactical ability during war games. She is eventually "banished" to the unpopular Basilisk Station patrol and given the near impossible task of patrolling the star system's shipping lines and quasi-autonomous planets. Not only that, a neighboring interstellar government has its eyes on Basilisk, the system's natives are restless, the crew is dispirited, and there are powerful politics at play. But, as the official summary says, "the people out to get her have made one mistake. They've made her mad."
Honor Harrington is now my ideal of what a military starship leader should be: smart, competent, patient, and courageous, with the ability to marshal a ship to its full potential. She is neither the crew's dictator nor their best friend, but their commander. The very best point is that neither her gender, nor the gender of the crew, ever comes up as an "issue." This book is probably the first in any genre I have ever read where men and women actually worked together without sexual tension. There is one incident of sexual harassment related as a memory, but it is related without hysterics. Harrington remembers, is human enough to resent, but is also adult enough to have moved on. I can not thank Weber enough for this aspect of the novel.
A word about the story's structure: completely new universes requires an author to explain quite a bit in a short space of time. Weber offers this information in the same straightforward, engaging way he does the rest of the novel. I was continually amazed at how well he revealed the details of his imagined worlds without distracting me from the story. I never once lost interest or became confused, whether the book followed the political machinations of interstellar politics or the tactical complexity of a space battle. The exposition itself became exciting, and that is the mark of a great storyteller.
Finally, many military yarns employ the trope of outnumbered but likeable heroes who save the day in spite of the odds. It's not a bad trope, but in the wrong hands can result in stale, formulaic plots. Harrington and her crew transcend this trope. They may start outclassed, but they work hard to make up the difference (no happy accidents or plucky heroism required). They suffer real losses, not fake ones meant to provide cheap danger. Wonder of wonders, they uphold rather than break the rules to succeed and gain respect. They form partnerships rather than go it alone, and the final battle is a true test of both sides' preparation and skill instead of a contest of personality.
If you want a wonderfully written military space novel, you can't go wrong with On Basilisk Station. I look forward to reading more about Honor Harrington's naval career, and tip my hat to her talented creator.
Addendum: I forgot to mention that this novel uses very frank language in places. I will say it didn't feel gratuitous considering the people and situations that brought it up (soldiers in battle), but it is something that might ruin the enjoyment of the book for many. Young readers should definitely wait on this one.
This review was previously posted at Goodreads and Amazon. I did not receive anything from the publisher or author for this review (but they're free to send me something now if they'd like). The cover was designed by David Mattingly. The book is currently available as a Paperback from the author ($10.00) or Amazon and Barnes & Nobel ($7.99). Baen Books offers this book for download in multiple eBook formats as part of its Free Library.
Book Review: Dream Thief by Stephen Lawhead
16 August 2011, 3:08 pm tags: science fiction, book review, Dream Thief, Stephen Lawhead.
My rating: 2 of 5 stars
I've read from several sources that one way to cut down on stress is to avoid reading books that you don't like. The idea goes that if after a few chapters (or pages, depending on the attention span of the advice giver) you don't like the story, ditch the book and move on to another. I don't necessarily disagree with this idea as a whole; I just find it very hard to put into personal practice. Once I make a committment to read a particular story or watch a specific program, I usually try to give it all possible opportunity to engage me before panning it. Perhaps that is why, after several false starts over the past three years, I finally finished Dream Thief by Stephen Lawhead.
This predilection also explains why I became torn upon its conclusion as to whether or not to give it two or three stars. However, I finally had to admit the inevitable: the book just wasn't good enough for more than two. That being said, it was good enough (especially toward the end) to finally complete the journey.
First, a short, spoiler-free summary: Dr. Spencer Reston (or Spence, to his few friends) is a workaholic researcher working at the best postdoc imaginable, the space station Gotham. He's supposed to be studying how living in this enviornment affects sleep. Instead, he's drawn into a web of conspiracy that involves his own rapidly devolving dreams, strange findings on Mars, and occultic traditions in the heart of one of Earth's most ancient cultures. Along the way he garners enemies and allies, learns what it means to love, and becomes enthralled by a great cosmic mystery that will change his world forever.
Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, this excellent idea for a novel is mired by a slow, plodding start, an anemic protagonist and even flakier antagonists, and overall a lack of focus in its storytelling. Once Spence eventually leaves the station, everything picks up: he becomes a more fleshed-out character, the villains become truly menacing, and the actual plot really gets going. No surprise for this author of lore, Lawhead is at his best when dealing with elements of mysticism and cultural history. The part set on Earth is quite intriguing as Lawhead weaves the clues of past and present together. At the risk of sounding cheeky, I feel like Lawhead really wanted to write the last half of the book and the first half was simply the means of getting there.
The real problem with the novel's conclusion comes from the weak setup. Spence gets the chance to mature and grow, and while I quickly gave up on his supposed "married to the work" scientist persona (he shows precious little interest in his work at the beginning, and abandons it for adventure and romance at the first opportunity), he becomes a likeable enough plucky hero by the end of the novel that I could root for his success. In actuality, this novel would have been far more interesting if the main conflict had been internal, with the dreams actually being an organic exploration of his own psyche wrestling with what he has always believed to be true and the truth he must come to accept. As it is, the two henchmen we meet to begin with are traditionally flat villians who only desire power (I could almost see them fingering their black mustaches), and the eventual true mastermind of the plot is made impetent by the time of his ultimate reveal (which failed to surprise, considering the obvious hints dropped), leading to a dissapointing and anticlimatic endgame for the narrative. In my opinion, this is one story that would have worked better without outside villains.
The book has its moments of interest and engagement, but ultimately fails to rise above its inherent structural weaknesses. If you're just starting with Lawhead, read his fantasy. This example of his foray into science fiction leaves much to be desired.
This review was previously posted at Goodreads and Amazon. I did not receive anything from the publisher or author for this review (but they're free to send me something now if they'd like). The book is currently available from Amazon as a Paperback ($27.95) and eBook ($2.99).
Book Review: After the Golden Age by Carrie Vaughn
7 July 2011, 5:07 pm tags: book review, After the Golden Age, Carrie Vaughn, superhero.
Looking through my RSS feeds today, I noticed an article on Blastr.com entitled "7 superheroes who aren't doing nearly enough to save the world." As the comments to the article imply, the debate over superhero priorities is rather vacuous, all things considering. But I think the reasonable questions that this genre invites plague (and stymie) many of the Hollywood comic adaptions coming out now. To any of those screenwriters struggling with pulling off a superhero story, I'd suggest they read Carrie Vaughn's delightful novel After the Golden Age. Tip 1, Tinseltown: sometimes the person with the power isn't the best one to focus on.
Here's a short, spoiler-free synopsis: Celia West is the mundane daughter of two rich socialites who moonlight as vigilante superheroes. Her parents are known the world over, inspiring both enemies and groupies, and virtually invented the "saving the city" line of work. Even though Celia would just as soon keep out of the public eye as an ordinary citizen taking the bus to her job as an accountant, she is continually drawn back into the sphere of her parents as would-be criminal masterminds all hit on the most overused plot device in comicdom: kidnap the damsel as blackmail against the hero(es). But when Celia's work and personal life collide in a true supervillain's trial of the century, she is forced to step out of her parents' shadow to finally make a stand of her own.
Vaughn doesn't try to weigh the genre down with too much realism. Commerce City is another not-so-cleverly disguised New York (like Metropolis and Gotham), and the potential scientific explanations for the characters' powers are mentioned but not dwelt on (freeing this novel from plodding exposition or cryptic technobabble). The superhero device is accepted rather than deconstructed, and while there are wider sociopolitical ideas touched on, Vaughn makes sure they buoy the plot along rather than weigh it down into deeper waters than the subject matter could handle.
Instead of being a manifesto, this book functions as a character study with a sturdy plot exploring an eminently relateable question: when and how do you truly grow up? Yes, the question of this novel is not what makes a hero, but what makes a person. Celia's journey to maturity may be rougher due to her parents' overwhelming public personas, but she also faces very normal struggles: a dad with high expectations and poor communication skills, a mother whose love comes across a bit strong at awkward moments, a family friend who still thinks of her as a kid even after graduating from college.
The topic is explored humorously and lovingly, with light sprinklings of romance and action for seasoning and a healthy amount of suspense and soul-searching for good measure. One of my greatest reliefs was that Vaughn didn't feel the need to demonize some characters to make others look better; instead, she allowed characters to stand (or fail) on their own merits. Also, she managed to capably write fully realized villains without making them sympathetic: evil and destruction are never glorified in this book, and even a single act of indiscretion is shown to sometimes have consequences far beyond what we might imagine. Finally, there's the belief in this book that we never truly stop learning or growing up, and a reminder to not take family and friends for granted.
One word of warning for younger or more conservative readers: After the Golden Age is an apt description of the story, meaning this is a modern book with characters who may not conform to traditional rules of conduct in terms of language and sexual behavior. For the most part the book has nothing worse than a typical prime time TV show, but there's enough that I felt readers should be warned.
Overall, I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy fun plots, engaging characters, and rich quirky prose.
This review was previously posted at Goodreads and Amazon. I did not receive anything from the publisher or author for this review (but they're free to send me something now if they'd like). The cover was designed by Peter Lutjen. The book is currently available from Tor Books in Hardcover ($24.99) and eBook editions ($11.99).
