Peter David is fed up with all the whining over Alan Moore and V for Vendetta. Some interesting stuff on the nature of adaptions in the comments.
Two-headed editors? I smell a skit.
Shaun Farrell of Far Sector interviews with Timothy Zahn about Outbound Flight – probably the most detailed interview I’ve seen lately. (via SF Signal)
The Carolyn Keene Code
Cleolinda has stumbled upon the secret to every Nancy Drew book ever.
What is geek, anyway?
All I know is that pretty much anything I’ve tried that’s labeled as hard sci-fi has either been drier than Death Valley or far too enamored with its own cleverness.
Mando fan?
Republic Commando: Triple Zero, the latest from Karen Traviss, is out today. There’s a short excerpt from Aaron Allston’s Betrayal in the back, featuring Wedge in his underwear.
In other author (if not Star Wars) news, it also seems Mike Stackpole has a new book out.
ETA: There will be a new story from Traviss in the next Star Wars Insider that takes place a few months after Triple Zero.
Remember kids, fantasy makes you stupid!
Why does it always come back to Harry Potter?
Science fiction author Gregory Benford has a bug in his bonnet, and it’s called fantasy fiction. In his world, it seems all fantasy is based on Dungeons & Dragons.
Needless to say people disagree, including some folks in Benford’s comments, author Scott Lynch and (for the snarkful among us) Fandom Wank.
“The universe is God’s self-portrait.”
Science fiction author Octavia E. Butler passed away at her home in Seattle yesterday. Her first novel in seven years, Fledgling, was published last fall. (via Eldritchhobbit and Neil Gaiman)
Gimme that old four-color religion
The Religious Affiliation of Comic Book Characters. Very interesting site; I particularly like that J. Jonah Jameson’s faith is hating Spider-Man. (Thanks Missi!)
Mainstreaming science fiction?
John Scalzi on science fiction outreach. Star Wars may basically be fantasy with a crunchy SF shell, but I’m pretty sure we have quite a few CJers who read the hard stuff.
I’m pretty much a fantasy reader, mainly because I enjoy books that are more character-oriented and I haven’t had much luck finding that in pure science fiction. As readers, what are your thoughts? Are there any contemporary authors who are writing SF for the masses?
Genre workshop for teen writers
Timothy Zahn and Tamora Pierce are among the author guests at Alpha, the SF/F/H Workshop for Young Writers. (via Neil Gaiman)