There was an interesting discussion between Jonathan Strahan and Gary Wolfe a while back on the Coode Street Podcast about the attractions of the novella form: long enough to allow some interesting world-building and development, but not as major a commitment as a novel. With Tor (in particular) publishing a number of novellas, there’s a market for the stories. Unsurprisingly, authors have risen to the challenge.… Read the rest
The Denier’s Nightmare
Acknowledgement: The first line was seen on a placard on the climate change march in
Melbourne, Sunday 21 September 2014, which inspired the rest.
The Denier’s Nightmare
by Tony Thomas
I love a sun-powered country
Whose roofs are turning green,
Where trees have done for coal stacks
And cars are seldom seen.… Read the rest
Heard on the Grapevine…
Tony Thomas sends us his thoughts on some articles in recent issues of Wild Goose
Red Sparrow reviewed by Roman: I read the novel about the same time as you and had similar reactions.
Although considerably bloodier than novels by Stella Rimington (former head of MI5), you’ve got to believe the spycraft in both her books and Red Sparrow because they’re written by people who supposedly have lived these lives.… Read the rest
The Leafie invasion of Adelaide
A French group, Le Phun, created a hundred of these sculptures for WOMADelaide.
… Read the rest“The innovative theatre company from Toulouse combines the reality of the everyday with the creative world of the imagination. Their beguiling, ephemeral Leafies (Les Pheuillus) – plant sculptures born from autumn leaves, in human form – will appear and migrate to unexpected places in Botanic Park during the festival, as a reflection on the poetic aspects of nature.”
Ecocide — a Crime Against Peace?
Polly Higgins was a Scottish barrister, who left her career as a corporate lawyer to focus on environmental advocacy, and unsuccessfully lobbied the United Nations Law Commission to recognise ecocide as an international crime.
Ecocide had been proposed as one of the international crimes against peace in 1996, but failed to be included in the final Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Higgins started to campaign for its inclusion around 2009, when the Rome statue was being reviewed.… Read the rest
Ecocide — Criminal, not Civil
In part two of my 2014 interview with Polly Higgins, we start by talking bout why ecocide should be a criminal, rather than civil matter.… Read the rest
Jane Austen: Private Eye
Sense & Spontaneity are a Perth-based duo of performers, Jess Messenger & Esther Longhurst, who normally put on an absolutely splendid and highly enjoyable self-titled improv show set in the world of Jane Austen’s fictional realm. And this is said by someone who normally detests Austen’s fiction with the fury of a thousand exploding stars.
… Read the rest Ecocide, Robots, Fascism and Whimsey
A lovely cover snap by Adam of a stream in Delft, taken during his European visit.
This issue, we discuss ecocide, building and designing robots, an invasion and climate politics.
Marc Ortlieb looks at Lewis Carrol’s Phantasmagoria, Tony Thomas provides a poetic glimpse at our future, and Ian Borchardt looks at Jane Austin, Private Eye. We’ve also returned the comment forms to make it easier for you to respond.… Read the rest
We live in interesting times
Adam: It has been a busy time since the last issue. Probably the highlight for me was a lightning trip to Europe. For various reasons I’ve been working on a long-running research project to develop a system that we hope will encourage the reuse of building components. Currently the construction industry is one of, if not the biggest producer of waste materials in Australia, so any means to reduce that waste is a worthwhile step.… Read the rest
Phantasmagoria
On the 150th Anniversary of one of Lewis Carroll’s lesser known works.
Phantasmagoria is Lewis Carroll’s longest poem, weighing in at 140 verses with five lines per verse, as opposed to The Hunting of the Snark, which has one more verse but in which each verse consists only of four lines. All things considered, I prefer the Snark, but Phantasmagoria has its own charms.… Read the rest
Interesting new media
Pennyworth
This is the story of a young Alfred Pennyworth (the future butler to Thomas Wayne), set in the 1950s in an alternative Britain. He was a soldier in the war, and starts a security service after the war. Produced by the makers of Gotham, Alfred reminds us of a young Michael Caine playing Harry Palmer in The Ipcress File — not just the accent, but the working class background and gruff attitude.
New thoughts on new Who
The thirteenth Doctor, season 11, where to start?
The crushing disappointment that leads to almost suspicion concerning the motives of the BBC? The sheer nastiness of the head-rearing of the more unpleasant fans? The viewing figures that are widely varied depending on who is reporting them?
The taking over of official reporting by a personality who obviously finds classic Who so mind numbingly slow, that with breathtaking insouciance announces that she watches it at 1 1/2 speed, seemingly ignorant to the fact that this feels like a slap in the face to a lot of us, making this fan, at least, feel like a sad old geek for the first time ever?… Read the rest
Mortal Engines
Who could resist a film about roving cities devouring each other in a dystopian future? Almost two decades after Philip Reeve published the first of his quartet, it’s arrived on the big screen courtesy Peter Jackson and the creative crew in New Zealand.
It’s pretty much non-stop action, with glorious opening scenes of London chasing and devouring a smaller city. … Read the rest
A movie can blow things up spectacularly
Ewart Shaw reviews Mortal Engines
“…Othello: And O you mortal engines whose rude throats
Th’immortal Jove’s dread clamors counterfeit..”
— Othello, III.ii.352
Mortal Engines based on the book by Philip Reeve, produced by Peter Jackson, evidently flopped badly at the box office. A film with an excellent pedigree may end up losing squillions. I loved it. I want the DVD when it comes out.… Read the rest
Loveless
Apparently the title of this Russian film comes closer to ‘Non Love’ than ‘Loveless’. There is absolutely not one speck of love. The beginning is arrestingly bleak: slow shots of a snow-covered river bank with piercingly clashing splinters of music. When will we see some life?… Read the rest
Aelita, Queen of Mars
Aelita, Queen of Mars (1924) is billed as being the first Russian science fiction film. It was directed by Yakov Protazanov. A silent film, it was screened in Melbourne recently, thanks to the Australian National Film and Sound Archive, with a new musical score presented live by The Spheres, who are an experimental AV ensemble who explore the conflux of sound art, post rock and silent cinematics.… Read the rest
Ladies in Black
Jennifer recalls Sydney in the 1960s
A Melbourne-dweller, I visited Sydney – a family holiday – in 1960. My mother had worked there during the war and she enjoyed showing us around. We went to Coogee Beach on a tram and ate lunch at a Repin’s Coffee Lounge. So, I remember the Sydney of 1959, depicted fondly by Bruce Beresford in his recently released film, Ladies in Black.… Read the rest