Semi-relatedly, Charles Stross is fretting about near-future sf again: “Put yourself in the shoes of an SF author trying to construct an accurate (or at least believable) scenario for the USA in 2019. Imagine you are constructing your future-USA in 2006, then again in 2007, and finally now, with talk of $700Bn bailouts and nationalization of banks in the background. Each of those projections is going to come out looking different.” To which my response is, largely, so what?
In the Guardian, Christopher Brookmyre enjoyed Anathem, Stephanie Merritt wasn’t impressed by The Gargoyle, and Peter F Hamilton talks about sex: ‘”I’ve got a friend who writes a lot of chick lit. Compared to what goes into that genre we’re absolute puritans, yet the reaction you get is ‘Oh my God, it’s a sex scene,'” he says. Sex is a tiny part of his books.’ I promise, it’s not the quantity I have problems with. Except in Misspent Youth. (Oh, and he does talk about other things as well.)
It is now possible for any and all to vote in the SFX Awards. Deadline is 28th of October, although the eligibility period seems to cover all of 2008 …
