Author: vectoreditors

This is the blog of Geneva Melzack and Niall Harrison, co-editors of <i>Vector</i>, the critical journal of the British Science Fiction Association.

Vector #245

Vector 245Download

In this way I’m not entirely unsympathetic to the Mundane Manifesto: I just feel that it is incapable of producing ‘better’ science fiction. It will not reinvigorate the genre. Science fiction is an imaginative literature, not a realist one. Much of its strength and power lies in its ability to mythologise – the Manifesto condemns as stupidities many of the genre’s most powerful myths: the alien, time-travel, the artificial intelligence made in our own image.

Ian McDonald

But before you go and read everyone else’s manifestos, we thought we should set out our own. After all, although you may recognise our names from the reviews sections of this magazine and Matrix, we’re still relative newcomers to the BSFA, and we’re only just joining the Vector editorial team with this issue, following in the illustrious footsteps of Andrew M. Butler, under whose guidance Vector was the sort of magazine we discovered we wanted to read – and edit.

Niall Harrison & Geneva Melzack

Moorcock also had a theory about the uses of prose itself, too complex to go too deeply into here or even in his introduction to the anthology. Briefly, rather than being confined to ‘transparent’ narration of the surface phenomenology of the story, the prose line could skip allusively along its surface or swim in the iconographic and archetypal imagery beneath it, rather in the manner of poetry. Which perhaps was why the magazine paid serious attention to serious poetry, too.

Norman Spinrad

I blew up the plums

which were in the icebox

and which you were probably saving

Meghan McCarron

Reading ‘Amnesty’ recalls for me every traumatic and wonderful Butler book I’ve read, and reminds me, again, of how much reading Butler has changed my view of my world and my place in it. What changed me was Butler forcing me to root for characters who didn’t stand up for their rights (because it would have gotten them killed) but rather compromised out of necessity. She forced me to look at myself, at my often silly insistence upon abstract rights in the face of daily, unbearable, soul-destroying compromise. Would I be able to be a slave? Could I do what was necessary to save not only myself but my entire community? What would I do in a situation in which I had no good choices?

Claire Light

Note: Marked 2005 on cover.

Vector #9

Vector #9Download

If you have read the Constitution thoroughly you will have seen that all your Officials are working on a voluntary basis. The work we do for and behalf of the BSFA is just a small part of our spare time hobby connected with sf. Right from the day the Association was inaugurated it has been Officered by people already involved in voluminous correspondence with other people from all parts of the world who read and enjoy sf. They belong to local clubs which hold regular meetings; they visit one another – distance no object; they publish amateur magazines of their own; many of them are married and with families that demand part of their time should be spent with them; there are all sorts of things going on all the time. So, Jimmy wants a column from me for the Newsletter or VECTOR – whichever is due – I have a houseful of fans visiting who have to be shown some semblance of hospitality. Jimmy has sent out some stencils to have the artistic headings drawn by one of our talented members who’s domestic commitments for the next few weeks don’t allow him the chance to do them. Attendance has to be made regularly at club meetings if the club is to flourish. ResultL Delayed publication. (Sometimes of course, the paper for printing is sent to the wrong address which doesn’t help either!). Now, I hope none of you are thinking that this is a complaint at all the things we are trying to do in limited spare time; it isn’t.

Ella Parker

Now that we have got that out of the way I’d like to pick a small bone with some of our members living in and near London. I warned you that no personal invitations would be sent out to attend the Friday night meetings at my house for BSFA members. This still applies. Some of you have taken me up on it and come regularly, but there are still more of you who, up to now, haven’t put in an appearance. We have roped in two members since these meetings began. Patrick Kearney who, unfortunately, after only two visits has had to go into hospital (I hope this was only coincidence, Pat?) and Phillip Slater who did the same as Pat and brought his membership fee with him and paid on the spot. Until those two did that the record for joining in the shortest possible time had been held by Mrs. Joyce Shorter (Sorry, Joyce. No pun intended there).

Ella Parker