January 2004 Meeting Date: 10 January 2004 ­ 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM Topic: Kevin Geiselman does a presentation on the late 1950's atomic spacecraft, Project Orion Location: Squirrel Hill Branch of Carnegie Library, S I G M A on the corner of Forbes and Murray The Newsletter of PARSEC * January 2004 * Issue 214 PARSEC Te n t a t i ve Meeting Schedule February 2004 Date: 14 February 2004 Topic: Writer Michael Arnzen Location: East Liberty Branch of Carnegie Library March 2004 Date: 13 March 2004 Topic: Convention Panel Discussion conducted by Ann Cecil Location: East Liberty Branch of Carnegie Library PARSEC Pittsburgh Area's Premiere Science-Fiction Organization P.O. Box 3681, Pittsburgh, PA 15230-3681 President - Kevin Geiselman Vice President - Kevin Hayes Treasurer - Greg Armstrong Secretary - Bill Covert Commentator - Ann Cecil Website: trfn.clpgh.org/parsec Meetings - Second Saturday of every month. Dues: $10 full member, $2 Supporting member Sigma is edited by David Brody Send article submissions to: sigma@spellcaster.org The View From the Top Announcements The President's Column - Kevin Geiselman * PARSEC's newly elected officers are as follows: ep·ic (`e-pik) adj, extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially President: Kevin Geiselman in size or scope Vice President: Kevin Hayes In the original Greek, epikos was simply a word for a speech or poem. Secretary: Bill Covert But, even if a story falls under that category, with The Iliad and The Treasurer: Greg Armstrong Odyssey as our primary examples, we could be forgiven for expecting Commentator: Ann Cecil more out of our epikos. And when it comes to film, our standards are very high indeed. Lawrence of A r a b i a and S p a r t a c u s spring to mind. * On Wednesday February 11, 2004, Diane Turnshek will be speaking at Technicolor. Panavision. A cast of thousands. These films were epic the Monroeville Library's Local Writer's Showcase. A panel of writers will undertakings in themselves. Massive productions under arduous condi- talk in the library's Gallery Space from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM, answer ques- tions every bit as heroic as the events they portrayed. tions, and then sell and sign books. Authors with stories in Triangulation, Today the technology exists to make those almost impossible produc- Six from PARSEC and Parallax Second Tales are encouraged to come tions commonplace. Instead of going on location, realms can be produced and sign, too. Monroeville Public Library, 4000 Gateway Campus Drive, digitally. Sets can be electronically painted into a scene. Anomalies can Monroeville, PA 15146, (412) 372-0500 be painted out. Thousands of extras can be replaced by sophisticated software algorithms. The production of the epic has become readily avail- * Don't forget that the deadline for Triangulations 2004 is March 31st. able to many more filmmakers. But can they really measure up? Submission guidlines can be found on the PARSEC website at: Stephen Spielburg's Taken was billed as an "epic mini-series". The http://trfn.clpgh.org/parsec/works.html 10th Kingdom and Gladiator received similar advertising. I picked up a Star Trek book that on the cover said "The start of an all-new Klingon * Ken Chiacchia has an SF short story, The Rescue Contact, in the epic". And while I consider Klingons to be epic characters, can any Star January/February issue of Cicada, a pro young adult literary fiction mag- Trek novel really stand up to the power of the term "epic"? It seems that azine. to the Hollywood machine, "epic" is just another adjective for "big". The lat- est Star Wars films are certainly very large but, to me at least, they seem to lack for genuine heroes. I am glad to say that the true epic does still exist in filmmaking in the form of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings. And nothing makes that Letters more clear than sitting in a theater for twelve hours to experience the entire trilogy in one sitting. Surely, it is big with unbelievably huge battles Dear PARSEC people, and vast panoramas but it is intimate as well. A story of heroes made from ordinary people. You see that in loving camera angles and marvelous per- I want to thank you for electing me Vice President last year. It's been formances. Homer would know and understand the importance of this a busy year for me. I struggled to pass all my courses in the spring after story beyond that of mere entertainment. missing 49 days of school with mono and other illnesses. This year, I'm a And so it comes full circle. Perhaps. I saw a trailer for Troy due out senior and working 35 to 40 hours a week and I only had one Saturday off this upcoming May. While I have no real sense of Brad Pitt's ability to por- (not a PARSEC meeting day). I'm sorry my participation has been so low. tray Achilles, I have great confidence in Wolfgang Petersen's sense of I enjoyed Confluence. I appreciate your voting for me to be a PARSEC epic as shown so well in Das Boot. But what struck me in the trailer was officer. It meant a lot. the Greek fleet. The scene started on the deck of a single ship and panned back to see more and more ships until hundreds of triremes Steven Turnshek continued of page10 Page 2 Page 11 ground? Doesn't that sound like a bad story idea, one you'd reject as a Notes From the Maintenance Department corny plot device? The Editor's Column - David Brody Who would have thought we'd get into this century without a nuclear war? A lot of science-fiction written in the Golden Age assumed it would Down the stairs to the basement, come - yet here we are, another year farther into the 21st century, and it through a long unused storage hasn't happened. room, past a clanking boiler and Who would have thought a term like "greenback" would be obsolete? just to the left of an rusted but still And yet our money is slowly but surely changing color. Twenties now look roaring furnace, is a battered wood- kind of pink, with green borders. en desk. On it you'll find an ancient One of the hardest things, in trying to write fiction set in the future, is brass lamp, a rolodex, a rotary phone to avoid the slang terms we all take for granted, the references that are so and a brand spanking new flat screen quickly dated (the hero dialing long-distance, for instance, on a hand-set). iMac. That's where I sit. Visit me some time or send a memo down the pneumatic chute. I'd love to hear And stories from the authors that guessed wrong (The Roads don't Roll from you. and probably never will) are read as curiosities. There is a lesson there, Till then, this'll be my way of saying hi. After all, just because I have I think; Heinlein's stories set around technical change are almost painful- the name "Dave" sewn onto my industrial blue shirt and a bunch of keys ly dated now, but his stories that dealt with sociological impact, societal hanging from my belt, doesn't mean I can't think for myself. change are still fascinating and meaningful. Science-fiction demands that But, enough of indulging my fractured self image. Now for a little bit you get the science right, as far as possible, but it stays alive much longer about my plans for Sigma. when you don't get too specific about the extrapolations Or when you Book reviews are great, especially as we all try to wade through make the characters and the situation much more important than the shelves filled with colorful garbage to get to the handful of gems that pub- details of the extrapolation. lishers, seemingly by accident, allow into print. But I know for a fact that Another thing that the end of 2003 signals: it is the end of a publish- PARSEC members have a lot to say about a lot of things. Therefore, my ing year, and for those who went to last year's Worldcon or are attending first goal will be to expand Sigma's content to include discussions of next year's, it's time to nominate work for the Hugos. It wouldn't be rea- trends, fads and the future of the genres that we all love. I encourage all sonable not to mention that our own Wen Spencer's first hard-cover novel, of PARSEC's talented writers to participate. Tinker, is eligible for a Hugo. Not that we want to suggest you nominate it Film is a huge part of the history of fantastic fiction and although a fan- without reading it first, of course. Wen sent a copy for the PARSEC library, tasy has never won a best picture Oscar, Hollywood continues to produce which is out on loan at the moment, but all members are encouraged to an ongoing stream of science fiction and fantasy epics. (There's that word send me notes if they want to be next to borrow it. again.) Let me know how you feel. I'm quite astonished to have received And of course this is the end of Chris Ferrier's reign as PARSEC pres- no review of Return of the King aside from Geis' mention in his first month- ident and the beginning of Kevin Geiselman's rule. Chris made a valiant ly column. I'll save room in the February Sigma for a discussion of the effort with an often difficult job, since she lives a goodly distance combined impact of all three films. (Leechburg) from Pittsburgh. Her columns were thoughtfully, entertaining, As we know, art and illustration is an important part the SF and and on-time (much appreciated by both the editor and the publishing Fantasy universe. Most conventions, including our own, have art displays staff). Chris pushed to get PARSEC another good-sized step towards the of one sort or another and if Sigma is to reflect the diverse interests of tax-exempt status we need. Geis will be equally diligent, while giving PARSEC's membership then artwork needs to be a more regular part of its contents. Of course, we're currently limited by finances to black and SIGMA and PARSEC a new flavor! Here's to a happy ending, and an white images only, but that may ultimately change and in the meantime equally happy beginning. submissions of quality artwork are encouraged. I've had a chance to look at newsletters published by other fan groups and many of them are very impressive, not just in their look, but in the rich- Page 4 Page 9 Continued from page 2 Ends & Beginnings spread out to the misty horizon. Petersen is clearly using the 1200 ship Commentary by Ann Cecil Greek fleet as described by Herodotus and surely the material has epic potential but will it be truly an epic or will it just be big? Stay tuned. Another year is ending: this is the last of 2003. A new year starts: And so begins a hopefully epic new year for PARSEC. OK, not epic. 2004. While it is not always true that the end of one thing is the beginning Maybe not even "beyond the usual" but, like any journey at its beginning, of another, certainly a great deal of life seems to follow this pattern. full of unknown potential. The fulfillment of that potential relies on you. As years go, 2003 had its good points and bad points. We saw the end Your ideas can lead the club forward. Your talents can strengthen its foun- of the Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King. I don't think there will be dations. Your found opportunities can keep us vibrant and interested. more fantasy from Peter Jackson - but Tolkien's written work, even though And your dues paid in a timely fashion can keep us afloat. I may be the author is long dead, has turned into a little industry all its own, with for- President but I am nothing without your support. gotten stories reprinted and endless books about the famous trilogy, Geis examining it, its sources, its inspirations. And the effect of the trilogy on written fantasy is only now being over- Continued from page 9 thrown, with the inspiration of the "New Weird" group. It is fascinating that fantasy sources seem to come from England. While there are popular ness of their content. For an organization like PARSEC ­ which sports award winning writers and novelists, talented artists, and a large pool of American fantasists, even ones who've produced classics (I'm thinking of members that love to be challenged by ideas ­ to produce anything less Le Guin's Wizard of EarthSea), none of them seem to inspire the deluge the best possible monthly publication does our membership a disservice. of homage blending into outright imitation that Tolkien has, or that (I sus- I hope to help make the process of improvement possible. pect) Mieville is going to. Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a plumbing problem on page six. In any case - the end of the movie, and its phenomenal commercial Forgive me while I grab a wrench, strap on my tool belt and head out to success, almost guarantee that we will see a series of Tolkien-style big fix it. fantasy movies coming our way for the next several years. I am surprised that the Silmarillion has not already been optioned - or did I miss that bit of news? Other things that ended in 2003 include the restriction of space-going power to us and the Russians. The Chinese are out there now, and sur- prise, the Brits haven't given it up. We may see 2004 as the start of a new space race, but this time the focus seems to be Mars. With any kind of luck, we'll see the start of a real exploration of Mars, maybe even the seeds of the kind of exploration and terraforming predicted by the science- fiction of the 90's. Science-fiction has continued to evolve, as the definitions of "what's sf?" "what's fantasy?" continue to be blurred. China Mieville, as a kind of representative of the latest wave of new ideas, (what Locus chooses to term the "New Weird"), has stated that he doesn't worry about definitions, about genre lines. He just writes good books, on subjects that interest him. And they are clearly somewhere within the sf/fantasy genre. Evolution of the genre is a natural thing, as life continues to amaze and surprise us. We still open the paper (or click on the webnews) and say "Who would have thought that..." Who would have thought they'd find Saddam Hussein in a hole in the Page 10 Page 3 from the technological remnants of a long dead alien civilization. cious creation: Made of bone, it is built so that Brume can stick her large (Harrison has said that she is his answer to Ann McCaffrey's The Ship feet through the bottom, shove off, and run through the forest carrying her Who Sang.) house about her. The description of the cottage pursuing an unlucky vic- Ed Chianese is a virtual reality addict drawn against his will into a tim is one of the most vivid and delightful in the book. compicated web of deceit and manipulation that I can say no more about This is highly recommended for reading on a snowy night, curled up without giving away too much. in a warm blanket. [ok, I read it on the trolley, which is NOT warm or com- Harrison takes us from one storyline to another, while leaving us a few fortable, but it felt like that.] cleverly planted clues as to their connection, then deftly ties it up in a very satisfying finish. The prose it top notch and the characters have an emo- Wyrmhole tional richness that is a joy to sink your teeth into. By Jay Caselberg Light won't be out in the US until September, but you can get the reviewed by Chris Ferrier British edition at Amazon UK. It's worth the poor exchange rate and high cost of shipping. While there you can dig deeper into the New Weird. Jack Stein, P.I., has a new client. Outreach Industries has just paid Weird it is, not altogether new, but awfully good. him a retainer with the promise of a larger payment in the future if he learns why the company's mining crew on the distant planet, Dairil III, In the Forests of Serre mysteriously disappeared. by Patricia McKillup While Jack is a cynical loner often found in detective fiction, the P.I. reviewed by Ann Cecil stands for Psychic Investigator. Instead of physically traveling around the galaxy or even his local city interviewing suspects and looking for Patricia McKillup's fantasies are always a treat; she writes clearly, clues, he dreams. He uses a piece of rock from Dairil III as a physical smoothly, with engaging characters (even her villains are engaging) and prompt which guides his subconscious to the location of the mine. When ties together sometimes fairly thin plots with an emotional logic that is both he awakens, he analyses the dream images and symbols. One recur- satisfying to the reader and sufficient to sweep past any petty details. rent dream symbol is the Ouroboros, the serpent devouring its own tail. Her latest book is no exception. Serre is a land of strange magic, con- The city where Jack lives is called the Locality. It's a self-supporting centrated in the thick forest that covers most of the small country. It has machine using nanotechnology to literally mine its way by millimeters per a king who rules with vehemence and vigor, cowing everyone, including week across the landscape. The foreword end of the city has the his lovely but faded wife and his sole heir. The heir in question, Prince newest, most expensive, living spaces, offices, and shops. Meanwhile, Ronan, is recently bereaved and not taking it well. The King, impatient for buildings at the opposite end are decaying as the microscopic building a dynasty, has arranged a marriage with Dacia, a neighboring kingdom blocks breakdown and are recycled. This area is an urban jungle of aban- that would rather be allied via marriage than amalgamated by the sword. doned buildings and criminal activity. Jack prefers the middle, but his So we have a reluctant groom and Princess Sidonie, an equally reluc- case brings him into contact with individuals from both ends of the city. tant bride, who of course meet by accident. The plot is further thickened Caught in a tangle of deceitful suspects and betrayals, aided only by a by a wizard named Gyre, who has been charmed by the beautiful, brave Billie, a twelve year old girl who know entirely too much, Jack doggedly and honest Sidonie. Gyre has been sent to watch over Sidonie and keep presses on. her safe by the elderly wizard Unciel; at least that's the ostensible charge Wyrmhole is the first of a series. The characters are typical of noir to Gyre. detective fiction, but are well developed. The fast pacing keeps the And Ronan has fallen into a cursed state, having met the Serran witch reader turning the pages. The science fictional elements aren't explored Brume, a fascinating creature with echoes of eastern European folklore in detail, but are used to drive the plot and provide an exotic back- and even more ancient myths. Brume's curses are enlightening and, while ground. inconvenient, educational. Before it is over, there is a veritable parade of Conclusion: Wyrmhole is an entertaining mystery taking place in a characters trooping through Brume's cottage. The cottage itself is a deli- futuristic setting. Page 6 Page 7 December Meeting Books PARSEC's last meeting of 2003 was the open-house party held Light December 13th at Ann Cecil's house, from 2pm in the afternoon until after By M. John Harrison midnight. The party was ended by the weather; the beginnings of a seri- reviewed by David Brody ous snowfall convinced the remaining guests to depart. The gamers, on What is this "New Weird" thing anyway? I can't answer that, but the other hand, voted to opt for various couches, spare beds and air mat- China Miéville has a partial answer in the December Locus, so go read tresses, so they could finish whatever strange campaign they had under- that. All I know is that if the result of this imperfect act of naming is writ- way (the game of Iron Dragon actually finished earlier in the evening). ing as darned good as Miéville, Alistair Reynolds and M. John Harrison In the middle of the party (around about 7pm) the out-going President, then label, categorize, generalize and specify as much as you want. Chris Ferrier, made off with the well-marked ballot box, counted up the Of course, by now we know that Harrison is about as good as it gets. votes, and declared the winners: As a latecomer to the British New Wave of the 60's he managed, very Kevin Geiselman, President, Kevin Hayes, Vice-president. Greg quickly, to redefine fantasy with his Viriconium stories and recreate space Armstrong, Tr e a s u r e r, Bill Covert, Secretary, and Ann Cecil; opera with The Centauri Device. With Light, a self-admitted attempt to Commentator. prove that he is still as good as ever, he leads the charge of young ener- Mark Stewart's chili was delicious as usual. Ann Cecil provided a beef getic British writers who may actually be creating a movement in the form stew (that she kept trying to talk people into eating as a goulash over noo- of the New Weird. dles, but they scarfed it up before she could get the noodles made). But, whether you call a movement New Wave, New Weird or Someone (Marvin Kilmer?) brought a tasty beef barbecue . There were Cyberpunk, all it's ever meant is an attempt to prove that SF and Fantasy many many cookies of many many varieties, and cakes and sweet treats can be as literate and polished as any kind of writing. And I think that the and cheese balls and pickles and olives and lots of stuff to drink. We went point has been proven. In fact, from Ballard to Gibson to Miéville, I think completely through 3 full punchbowls of the infamous orange stuff (some- the best writing anywhere in the last forty years or so has been in SF and body actually asked me for the recipe!), and a few brave souls ventured Fantasy. into the basement for beer. Alas, as Ted Sturgeon said "ninety percent of everything is crap", and Books were returned, but few were borrowed this year. Ann did that remains as true in SF as with anything else: The epic overwhelms suceed in foisting off some extras from her box o' duplicates and discards, the profound, and just plain bad writing keeps at bay the possibility of thus making room for a few more in the new year. Some great conversa- entertainment with depth. Light, firmly planted in that other ten percent, tions were enjoyed, along with all the food and drink. manages to be epic, entertaining and (God forbid) even profound. And a good time was had by all. Light has three central characters with very separate but strangely related stories. Michael Kearny is a deeply troubled physicist in present day England whose work will lead to the discovery of a means of travel to the stars. He Quote of the Month has a particularly nasty hobby that I won't give away because it's a nifty "The future is going to be boring. The suburbanisation of the planet witll surprise delivered by Harrison right on page two. He is pursued by a continue, and the suburbanisation of the soul will follow soon after." strange, possibly alien, being called the Shrander. The other two protagonists exist in a distant future made possible by J. G. Ballard Kearney's discovery. They live in the glow of a vast impenetrable cloud of gas and light (hence the title) which has driven countless generations of humans and others to unsuccessfully attempt exploration of it's core. Seria Mau Genlicher is the human heart of a stolen warship made Page 8 Page 5