100% readthrough completion

I guess not many people can say they have read the entire 34 volume history of the SF-LOVERS mailing list. Add me to to that list as of now. 

I went into the SF-LOVERS mailing list readthrough attempt knowing little history of the SF&F genres, and considered the Hugo Award to be useless gerrymandered garbage; having finished reading all 34 SF-LOVERS volumes, my knowledge of SF&F history has vastly improved at least.

Worst SF-LOVERS author moment discovery: Isaac Asimov sexually harassing the editor-in-chief that was managing his SFF periodical so hard and relentlessly that they left the field of SFF publishing entirely.

Worst SF-LOVERS fan moment discovery: Three items, two of which involve Harlan Ellison inevitably.

Worst fan moment A: the time one SFLer humblebragged to the SF-LOVERS mailing list about making constant harassing phone-calls to Harlan Ellison, claiming their behavior was OK because Ellison got off on the antagonistic phone conversations. Then that SFLer shared Harlan Ellison's private phone number to the entire mailing list.

Worst fan moment B: the negative SFLer reaction when Harlan Ellison's essay about toxic-fan/professional SFF author encounters,  XENOGENESIS, comes out.

Worst fan moment C: Slowly realizing that the ur-SF&F fan Forrest J Ackerman used dozens of  pseudonym and aliases when talking to other people in the worldwide SF&F fan communities was because Forrest J. Ackerman was sexually harassing at least one female SF&F fan under each of his pseudonyms. 

Best SF-LOVERS meta moment: The time when SFLer's remembered OTHER WORLDS magazine & Eric Frank Russell getting hundreds of  1950's SF&F fans to self-out themselves as racists for the chance at winning a slate of prizes and money.

Book publishing houses with the most quality complaints: Baen Books & TOR Books, no contest. Both Baen & TOR received the most complaints about "this book is filled with typographical errors/this brand new book is falling apart/this book is missing entire pages/this book has mutliple duplicated pages". 

SFL Archives Volume 25 readthrough

 SFL Archives Volume 25

1.9 mb raw text file

100% completion, 258 bookmarks

Movies, television shows referenced: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (tv-series), XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS (tv-series), THE X-FILES (tv-series), ANGEL (tv-series), STAR TREK VOYAGER (tv-series), GALAXY QUEST, FARSCAPE (tv-series), THE GREEN MILE, FIRST WAVE (tv-series), FUTURAMA, CHARMED (tv-series), FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON, OUTER LIMITS (tv-series), SUPERNOVA, PITCH BLACK, WHAT PLANET ARE YOU FROM?, CLEOPATRA 2525 (tv-series), THE 10TH KINGDOM (tv-series), GOD THE DEVIL AND BOB (tv-series), MISSION TO MARS, HELL SWARM, THE OTHERS (tv-series), HOLLOW MAN, SPACE COWBOYS, ANDROMEDA (tv-series), DARK ANGEL (tv-series), LEXX (tv-series), FREAKYLINKS (tv-series), THE INVISIBLE MAN (tv-series), RED PLANET, THE SIXTH DAY, DUNE (tv-series).

SF&F stories referenced: FINITY, INFINITYS SHORE, A CIVIL CAMPAIGN, THE TRIGGER, JUNIPER GENTIAN AND ROSEMARY, NEUROMANCER, CAVEAT: VIOLENT STARS, KINGS DAGGERS, RHAPSODY, SHIP OF DESTINY, A READ HEAT OF MEMORIES, INDIGO, A CLASH OF KINGS, THE GOLDEN GLOBE, LEGENDS, LAST AND FIRST MEN, RED MARS, BLUE MARS, WORLDWAR: TILTING THE BALANCE, THE FALSE HOUSE, OTHERLAND, MOVING MARS, THE WINTER QUEEN, GRIDLOCK, THE TOYOTOMI BLADES, THE MULTIPLEX MAN, SHIVA IN STEEL, DESOLATION ROAD, THE BLUE SWORD, WHIRLWIND, ARISTOI, PRAYERS ON THE WIND, FRANKENSTEINS AND FOREIGN DEVILS, STRANGE TRAVELERS, FORGOTTEN LIFE, THE ESSENTIAL HAL CLEMENT VOLUME 2, EIGHT KEYS TO EDEN, PLAYER OF GAMES, AGAINST A DARK BACKGROUND, LORD OF THE FIRE LANDS, THE ZERO HOUR, 1632, DEATHSTALKER, BAD MEMORY, FOREVER FREE, KNIGHT OF THE DEMON QUEEN, DRAGONSBANE, STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER, SAILING TO SARANTIUM, RAGNAROCK, THE STAR FRACTION, INFINITY BEACH, STARSWARM, CARPE JUGULUM, THE EXTREMES, LAST OF THE RENSHAI, THE SPARROW, ASHES OF VICTORY, THE MOREAU FACTOR, THE BLACK COMPANY, LORD OF EMPERORS, LIONS OF AL-RASSAN, SCENT OF MAGIC, THE NEW APOCRYPHA, VACUUM FLOWERS, THE SHATTERED SPHERE, GENESIS, TIME, SHARDS OF HONOR, ALL TOMORROWS PARTIES, NOCTURNE FOR A DANGEROUS MAN, VENGEANCE IN DEATH, THE BURNING CITY, VAMPIRE$, GODS DICE, FAMILY TREE, SIX MOON DANCE, MEMORY SORROW AND THORN, GREEN RIDER, ISLE OF THE DEAD, THE CYBERIAD, GREENHOUSE SUMMER, STATIONS OF THE TIDE, FREE LIVE FREE, CASTLEVIEW, PEACE, SPIRIT RING, MODERN CLASSICS OF SCIENCE FICTION, OPERATION LUNA, VENUS, GARDENS OF THE MOON, ASH: A SECRET HISTORY, THE CASSINI DIVISION, A SIGNAL SHATTERED, CRYPTONOMICON, ANGEL STATION, HARDWIRED, THE BRIDGE, RIVERWORLD, I OWE FOR THE FLESH, BONE WARS, A CASE OF CONSCIENCE, SHIP OF DESTINY, A STORM OF SWORDS, LOOK TO WINDWARD, DARWINS RADIO, BLOOD MUSIC, NULL-O, REPLAY, KISS OF SHADOWS, THE NAKED GOD, THE ROAD TO MARS, THE TELLING, REQUIEM, THE COLLAPSIUM, PARADOX, BLACK EVENING, DECLARE, A HYMN BEFORE BATTLE, PAVANE, CALLAHANS KEY, THE PROMETHEUS CRISIS, CHIMERA, INTERESTING TIMES, THIEF OF TIME, A STITCH IN TIME, COSMONAUT KEEP, THE PWER, SNOW CRASH, RULES OF CONFLICT, FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, INVERSIONS, DEFENDER, THE HERO OF DOWNWAYS, LODESTAR, THE LAST HOTE TIME, ENGINES OF GOD, ABANDON IN PLACE, WHEN THE KING COMES HOME, LORD OF LIGHT, SOMETIME AFTER THE EQUINOX, TRANSFORMATION, AN OBLIQUE APPROACH, THE REDEMPTION OF ALTHALUS, PROPHECT, CERES STORM, WINTERS HEART, THE PLANT, THE LOST STEERSMAN, ANNO DRACULA, THE SEVENTH TOWER, THE GOLD COAST, ICE STATION, THE COMPLEAT MCANDREW, HELLFLOWER, DOWN THERE IN DARKNESS, SENTRY PEAK, A TERRIBLE BEAUTY, THE FOX LADY, SUCH A PRETTY FACE, MURDER IN THE SOLID STATE, MARROW, FRAMESHIFT, ZEITGEIST, BROKEN TIME, RIVER OF BLUE FIRE, DOOMSDAY BOOK, TITAN, WAR FOR THE OAKS, SHADOW OF A BROKEN MAN, THE KINGS PEACE, THERE ARE DOORS.

Pop culture references: Tekumel RPG system, "FANS ARE SLANS", 1990'S comics going grim-dark and violent, the Larry Saunders tv-show, Moona Lisa the 1960's horror tv-show hostess, Perry Rhodan the German SF serial having around 2046 episodes circa November 2000, K-Mart "blue light specials", having a Usenet accent(?),

Technology callbacks: Y2k bug on the SF-LOVERS mailing list software, WebTV, intelligent robots being Bill Joy's worst nightmare(?), Redhat Linux, PowerPoint presentations, 

Death notices: John Sladek, SFF author. Curt Siodmak, SFF author & Hollywood screenwriter. Keith Roberts, artist & SF author. L. Sprague de Camp, SFF author-editor. Catherine de Camp, wife of L. Sprague de Camp.

SFL requests/discussion topics:

>Re: Robert Asprin's Myth Adventures question

>Re: M.A.R. Barker

>Re: William Gibson Neuromancer

>Re: Opinions on the Peter Hamilton books

>Re: Opinions on Red Mars/Kim Stanley Robinson

>Re: Walter Jon Williams

>Re: Brian Aldiss primer

>Re: Iain Banks PoG & AADB background

>Re: What is it about the Black Company

>Re: The sad decline of Larry Niven

>Re: Sailor Moon a few thoughts and questions

>Re: Cryptonomicon - Why is it SF?

>Re: Philip K Dick

>Re: Opinions, please, on Philip Pullman

>Re: Terry Pratchett Discworld

>Re: Lensman series

>Re: David Brin's Uplift universe

>Re: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time

>Re: Anno Dracula and sequels

-The amusing thing where Olaf Stapledon had no idea science-fiction existed as a literary genre, or that he was considered a scifi author.

-Some SFLer's finally free brave enough online to say they don't enjoy Kim Stanley Robinson's scifi writing, and that his writing/characters/character motivations in his Mars trilogy are not good.

-SFLer's start posting reviews of GALAXY QUEST, and most feel favorably towards the movie and the actors, while others feel Star Trek fandom is being mocked. Sam Rockwell stealing every  movie scene he's in and Sigourney Weaver's Wonderbra cleavage is brought up in almost every review of GALAXY QUEST.

-Hardware failure events on the sf-lovers server, and repeated instances of mailer daemon failure and internet gateway issues happen throughout SFL Archives Volume 25.

-Almost every SFLer submits a review of the movie PITCH BLACK in varying shades (pun intended) of critique. Vin Diesel being a up and coming actor to watch out for in the future comes up in almost every review of PITCH BLACK.

-The SFLer doing the "read and review all Hugo Award winning novels" project breaks down and can't finish DOWNBELOW STATION, and entirely gives up the readthrough project after finishing FOUNDATIONS EDGE.

-Half-life of SFF reader awareness circa 2000 seems to be about six months.

-SFLer's are growing increasingly tired of encountering Yet More of (Larry) Niven Writing About Sex.

-SFLer's really exhaustively comment on the movies MISSION TO MARS and RED PLANET.

-Now that Marion Zimmer Bradley is dead, SFLer's feel safe enough to start discussing the various ghostwriters contracted out by MZB. 

-Steven Erikson's GARDENS OF THE MOON comes out, and it mentioned how huge buzz on the Internet about pre-releases versions of GOTM lead to Erikson signing a nine-book, $1.2 million book contract with Random House.

-SFLer's react extremely poorly to the premiere and the first season of Gene Roddenberry's ANDROMEDA. One of the most memorable phrases describing a supporting character is "Twiki with tits".

-The backstory behind Philip Jose Farmer writing RIVERWORLD, and how the Riverworld character "Lem Sharkko" is PJF's revenge against scumbag SFF publisher Mel Korshak.

-A Locus magazine interview with Laurrell Hamilton has the highlights of Laurrell wishing she had made her setting slightly less "real world" and that when she wrote the first Anita Blake book she had no intention of ever having any sex scenes in any of the novels.

-SFLer's are finally fed up with Spider Robinson's endless least-effort-expended and smarmy Callahan's short story collections.

-L. Sprague de Camp dies and SFLer's have universal praise for him. SFLer's relate fond memories of encountering L. Sprague de Camp at SFF conventions, on airline flights, at tours, at SFF author house parties,etc.

-Whatever the hell a "Usenet accent"(?) is during public speaking at the NovaCon 2000 convention.  

-Installing a bunch of air filters in the gaming room at OryCon 2000.

-A retrospective on Russian SF writer Izaak I. Azimov.

(2021 note: I have no idea if Izaak Azimov is real or just a alternate-lifepath scenario that Isaac Asimov "could have lived" if his parents never emigrated from Russia.)

-Stephen King ends his attempt at writing serialized fiction with his serialized $1 per chapter novel THE PLANT. 

SFL Archives Volume 24 readthrough

 SFL Archives Volume 24

3.3 mb raw text file

100% completion, 504 bookmarks

Movies, television shows referenced: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (tv-series), EARTH FINAL CONFLICT (tv-series), SEVEN DAYS (tv-series), STAR TREK VOYAGER (tv-series), X-FILES (tv-series), ANGEL (tv-series), XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS (tv-series), HERCULES THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS, THE FACULTY, SLIDING DOORS, BRIMSTONE (tv-series), MORTAL KOMBAT: CONQUEST (tv-series), ALIEN CARGO, THE CROW (tv-series), FANTASY ISLAND (tv-series), SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH (tv-series), SO WEIRD (tv-series), TOTAL RECALL 2070 (tv-series), CHARMED (tv-series), ULTRAVIOLET (tv-series), THE LAST MAN ON PLANET EARTH, WISHBONE IN SPACE! (tv-series), FARSCAPE (tv-series), FIRST WAVE (tv-series), FUTURAMA (tv-series), NOWHERE MAN (tv-series), RED DWARF (tv-series), STRANGE WORLD (tv-series), THE MATRIX 1, BABYLON 5: CRUSADE (tv-series), HIGHLANDER: THE RAVEN (tv-series), SATANS SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, VIPER (tv-series), BLACK MASK, EXISTENZ, QUATERMASS XPERIMENT, STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE, MILLENIUM (tv-series), THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN (tv-series), TREKKIES, THIRTEENTH FLOOR, CAPTAIN POWER AND THE SOLDIERS OF THE FUTURE (tv-series), ANDROMEDA (tv-series), RELIC HUNTER (tv-series), ROBOCOP (tv-series), NOW AND AGAIN (tv-series), THE SECRET ADVENTURES OF JULES VERNE (tv-series), SLIDERS (tv-series), HARSH REALMS (tv-series), ROUGHNECKS: STARSHIP TROOPERS CHRONICLES (tv-series), THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT 1, ROSWELL (tv-series), THE TIMESHIFTERS, BICENTENNIAL MAN, THIS WAY COMES (tv-series), GALAXY QUEST. 

SF&F stories referenced: BEAUTY, THE GILDED CHAIN, STARDUST, PRINCESS BRIDE, A FOR ANYTHING, PRINCE OF DOGS, THIS ALIEN SHORE, CAMBER OF CULDI, WIZARD OF THE PIGEONS, A CLASH OF KINGS, NIMISHAS SHIP, BLOOD, CASSINI DIVISION, HOKA! HOKA! HOKA!, PRETERNATURAL, THE FORTUNATE FALL, FORTRESS OF EAGLES, FORTRESS OF OWLS, LITTLE BIG, AGAIN DANGEROUS VISIONS, A THOUSAND WORDS FOR STRANGER, DARK LORD OF DERKHOLM, CHILD OF THE RIVER, THE HIGH HOUSE, KALEIDOSCOPE CENTURY, DINOSAUR SUMMER, SHADOW OF EARTH, LUCK OF THE WHEELS, BLOOM, MISSION CHILD, WAVE RIDER, PARIS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, STARLIGHT 2, EARTH MADE OF GLASS, RING OF ALLAIRE, THIRTEEN VIEWS OF A CARDBOARD CITY, ANCIENT OF DAYS, NOT EXACTLY THE THREE MUSKETEERS, LAIR OF THE CYCLOPS, MERCURY RISING, OF SWORDS AND SPELLS, THE GOLDEN GLOBE, TO SAY NOTHING OF THE DOG, TITAN, TO REIGN IN HELL, DRAGON, TEA FROM AN EMPTY CUP, THE JOWN W CAMPBELL LETTERS, CLORDIAN SWEEP, FOR RED SHIFT, OUR WORLD BEYOND THE WAVE, HOLES, LEFT BEHIND, THE GIFT, THE LAST HAWK, THE LAND OF NO SHADOW, TO VISIT THE QUEEN, ROGUE STAR, DRAGONSTAR, SHIP OF MAGIC, SAILING TO SARANTIUM, STORM OF THE CENTURY, BEGGARS IN SPAIN, SILVERHAND, PLAN B, THE SHADOW OF ALBION, GATEWAY, THE SPACE MERCHANTS, STARSWARM, THE STARS DISPOSE, BLUEHEART, A POINT OF HONOR, A DEEPNESS IN THE SKY, DARWINIA, THE ENGINEER, RAINBOW MARS, HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERORS STONE, DISTRACTION, ILLUSION, ANGEL OF THE SUN, ATROCITY EXHIBTION, FINITY, WHITE LIGHT, THE LAST DRAGONLORD, NAKED CAME THE SASQUATCH, FREEDOM AND NECESSITY, THE WHIM OF THE DRAGON, THE EXILES KISS, YES DEAR, MOONWALK, BAKERS BOY, THE WILD SWANS, TOWER AND THE HIVE, DARK BEYOND THE STARS, HIGHLANDER: WHITE SILENCE, THE GLASS HARMONICA, THE WISHBONE BAG, THE LAST CONTINENT, THE GOLDEN, ARCADY, CRYPTONOMICON, THE RIFT, SILICON DAGGER, SKY COYOTE, EXPENDABLE, COMMITMENT HOUR, DARK HORN BLOWING, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, BESERKERS, PATRIACHS HOPE, DECEPTION WELL, THE FEAR OF GOD, CRUSADER, DIASPORA, AXIOMATIC, FIRESTAR, SECOND CHANCE AT EDEN, THE LION OF BOAZ-JACHIN, DEEP SECRET, THE BLACK SWAN, INTO THE DARKNESS, REBIRTH OF WONDER, FRANKENSTEIN UNBOUND, STARTIDE RISING, MURTHER AND WALKING SPIRITS, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, ROCKETS REDHEADS AND REVOLUTION, BRIDGE OF BIRDS, A CALCULUS OF ANGELS, RIDDLEY WALKER: EXPANDED EDITION, FAR HORIZONS, VOYAGE, THE BOHR MAKER, THE CONSUMER, CITY COME A WALKIN, EXCHANGE OF HOSTAGES, THE CENTURIONS EMPIRE, THE SHINING COURT, SILVER BIRCH MOON BLOOD, WAR FOR THE OAKS, OCEANIC, THE BURNING STONE, TO SIN AGAINST SYSTEMS, PORT OF CALL, MUSE OF ART, DAEMONOMANIA, IN HARMS WAY, THE BLUE PLACE, MYTHAGO WOOD, THE PEARL OF THE SOUL OF THE WORLD, FALL OF HYPERION, HYPERION, APOCALYPSE TROLL, THE FOREVER DRUG, MICHAELMASS, INTERFACE, THE STEN CHRONICLES, THE KNIGHT THE HARP AND THE MAIDEN, ENCHANTMENT, LEST DARKNESS FALL, ZENITH, AZTEC CENTURY, THE RUNELORDS, BACK TO THE MOON, TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE, DEADLINE Y2K, DAYS, THE MOON AND THE SUN, THE MAGIC OF RECLUSE, SABRIEL, SIGNAL TO NOISE, DRY WATER, HEADCRASH, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE, PRIAMS LENS, BURNT OFFERINGS, EINSTEIN INTERSECTION, EMPERORS PENGUINS, MOONFALL, FACTORING HUMANITY, EARTHWEB, RING OF SWORDS, AGAINST A DARK BACKGROUND, MOONSEED, THE WHITE ABACUS, ENDERS SHADOW, FADED STEEL HEAT, QUARANTINE, THIS SIDE OF JUDGEMENT, JARAN, FACE OF THE ENEMY, TRAITORS MOON, PARALLELITIES, BECOMING HUMAN, KASPIAN LOST, PLANET OF THE JEWS, END OF DAYS, THE REALITY DYSFUNCTION, CRADLE OF SATURN, RAILWAYS UP ON CANNIS, THE SILVER METAL LOVER, JASON COSMO, BLOOD JAGUAR, THE MORIGU, THE MILLENIUM PROJECT, ARAMAYA, ILLEGAL ALIEN, JOVAHS ANGEL, WRAPT IN CRYSTAL, THE FACE OF THE WATERS, THE DIAMOND AGE, VAMPIRES OF VERMONT, HEROES DIE, BEYOND THE GATES, OPERATION LUNA, LITTLE GREEN MEN, THE WONDERLAND GAMBIT, ANGELS ON FIRE, THE MEMORY CATHEDRAL, CHILDREN OF THE STAR, THE NAKED GOD, THE STAR BEAST, CHANGER, TIME FOR THE STARS, GOLD STALK, OLD MUSIC AND THE SLAVE WOMEN, THE BOOK OF KELLS, DESTINYS ROAD, SLOW FUNERAL, GREAT APES, SNOW CRASH, A FIRE UPON THE DEEP, RIFT, DARWINS RADIO, BLOOD MUSIC, THE TIN MAN, A CIVIL CAMPAIGN, FLESH AND SILVER, ENDERS GAME, R.U.R., THE DRAGON NEVER SLEEPS, THE SWORD OF MAIDENS TEARS, THE STAINLESS STEEL RAT GOES TO HELL, RHAPSODY, THE TIME WARS, THE SIEGE OF ARRANDIN, A RED HEART OF MEMORIES, TEEK, BAKERS DOZEN, THE STAR FRACTION, THE SKY ROAD, GRAVITY DREAMS, BLUE LIGHT, HORN CROWN, ANTARCTICA, SAUCER WISDOM, SEWER GAS AND ELECTRIC, FOOL ON THE HILL, THE SPARROW, LORD PRESTIMION, HOUNDS OF WINER, LOOKING BACKWARD, A PHULE AND HIS MONEY, AMMONITE, NIGHT VISIONS, THE STONE AND THE MAIDEN, HENRY MARTYN, NYMPHOATION, DIGITAL KNIGHT, HOUSEHOLD GODS, THE CHOSEN, THE UNCROWNED KING, NOT OF WOMAN BORN, THE ULTIMATE ALIEN, WESTMARK, DAWNTHIEF, AN ILL FATE MARSHALING, GROWING UP WEIGHTLESS, TAM LIN, RIBOFUNK, BORDERS OF INFINITY, TERANESIA, THE SECRET HISTORIES, STANDING WAVE, WHAT HO MAGIC!, OWL IN LOVE, THE STONE CANAL, PERSEUS SPUR, THIEFS GAMBLE, THE CHANGLING SEA, THE WEREWOLF OF PONKERT, THE REDISCOVERY OF MAN, THE DISFAVOURED HERO, COLOR OF DISTANCE, DRAGON WEATHER, BIOS, ON BLUES WATER, THE BROKEN GOD, WHEN THE ROSE IS DEAD, THE UNWOUND WAY, THE VEILED WEB, EINSTEINS BRIDGE, HALFWAY HUMAN, PHYLOGENESIS, WIZARDS FIRST RULE, VURT, THE FIFTH ELEPHANT, THE ANTIPOPE,THE REBELLERS, CHILD OF VENUS, LUTHIENS GAMBLE, WORLDWAR: IN THE BALANCE, MUTINEERS MOON, THE ARMAGEDDON INHERITANCE, EVERGENCE: THE PRODIGAL SON, ECHOES IN TIME, ARCADY, BELLWETHER, THE STAINLESS STEEL RAT JOINS THE CIRCUS, A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ, TYPHONS CHILDREN, FRONTIER EARTH, THE TROIKA, SHADOW OF ARARAT, ASH: A SECRET HISTORY, MILLENIUM RISING, KINGS OF THE HIGH FRONTIER, DIPLOMACY OF WOLVES, GOODMAN 2020, THE GOBLIN RESERVATION, CODE OF CONDUCT, CALIBAN, INFERNO, KOMARR, WIND IN THE STONE, THE SEA IS FULL OF STARS, THE ANNUNCIATE, DARKER ANGELS, BRUTE ORBIT, FOREVER PEACE, SCHISMATRIX, DISTURBING THE UNIVERSE, STARFISH. 

Pop culture references: Party of Five (tv-series), Alien Critic the sff fanzine, the NYC World Trade Center, Comic Relief TV specials, Moonlighting (tv-series), V.I.P. (tv-series), Jimmy James from News Radio (tv-series), Krispy Kreme donuts, the Waco Kid from BLAZING SADDLES, the MK-Ultra LSD experiments, Walmart, Josh Malina on SPORTSNIGHT (tv-series), Pepsi TV commericals, Buzz Lightyear from TOY STORY. 

Technology callbacks: The U.S. National Library Service, Windows 95 computer operating system, CAV LaserDiscs, Infocom text adventure games, the Grizzly (self-protection) Suit, 

Death notices: Christine Glanville, professional (tv-series) puppeteer. Vander Pyl, (cartoon) voice-actress. Marion Zimmer Bradley, SFF author. 

SFL requests/discussion topics:

>Re: Dean Koontz - What's the Deal?

>Re: C.S. Friedman's Coldfire trilogy

>Re: Robert Asprin "Myth" books

>Re: David Eddings

>Re: Why is J.G. Ballard unpopular?

>Re: Surprised by Philip K. Dick 

>Re: Gwyneth Jones

>Re: the Mageworld series

>Re: suggestions on Philip Jose Farmer?

>Re: The Wheel of Time

>Re: Daniel Keys Moran

>Re: J.R. Dunn?

>Re: recent Robert Silverberg

>Re: Barrington J. Bayley

>Re: E.E. Eddison's other work

>Re: Robert Heinlein, an appreciation

-Vol 24 starts off with a history of the SF-LOVERS mailing list, and a admission of not knowing how much longer the SF-LOVERS mailing list will stick around.

-Fans of A CLASH OF KINGS fans are desperate for more and wish George RR Martin would write faster. Other SFLers decide to hold off on reading the Game of Thrones books until GRRM finishes the trilogy -uh- quadrology.

(2021 note: Yeah. 23 years and the Game of Thrones book series still isn't finished, however there is a dozen more WILDCARDS series books edited by GRRM nobody asked for instead.)

-A blind SFLer posts to the SFL Archives about audio books and asks for help on offerings from the (U.S.) National Library Service.

(2021 note: The U.S. National Library Service is legitimately badass.)

-A explanation of why the JOHN W CAMPBELL LETTERS never had a volume 2, which boils down to money issues and less demand than expected.

-Why David R. Palmer stopped writing SFF fiction, and a plot twist in Palmer's Threshold that aged badly.

-First mention of JK Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone in the SFL Archives.

-SFLer's discuss why J.G. Ballard is so unpopular with SFF fans.

(2021 note: The reasons given are similar to why certain diehard SFF fans dislike Ray Bradbury)

-FARSCAPE the tv-series premieres and nobody in the SFL Archives is really sure about it, and everyone is comically bad at identifying and describing characters. For example, Dargo the tall tentacle guy keeps getting called "Bird Man" by everyone.

-FUTURAMA premieres and gets mildly discussed for a while then never really mentioned again throughout 1999. No one in the SFL Archives was Zapruder Film frame-by-frame analyzing the show to decode the alphabets or catchphrases and slogans.

-ONE SFLer starts a "read and review every Hugo Award winning novel" readthrough project that no one ever responds to, so I'm not bothering listing the novels they bring up in the "discussed SF&F stories referenced" section of this update.

(2021 note: Nobody responding to Evelyn Leeper's/Mark Leeper's constant posting-into-the-void reviews of SFF material is also why I stopped bothering mentioning anything the Leeper's mentioned around 1993-ish.)

-James Hogan either including a Larry Niven-esque fantasy about fucking fans at SFF conventions or a actual sexual encounter he had with a female fan in his ROCKETS REDHEADS AND REVOLUTION story collection. 

-One SFLer is fixated on the "porn actress" look in episodes of Xena Warrior and Hercules the Legendary Journeys.

-A movie-adaptation of A Princess of Mars being stuck in development hell at Disney comes up again.

-STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE comes out and almost every SFLer posts their review and thoughts on it. Reviews and comments on Phantom Menace are mostly positive, some SFLer's don't like the tone shift from the original Star Wars trilogy.

-The season finale of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER gets pre-empted until summer....for the student school shooter violence within the "high school graduation two parter episode'. WB eventually airs the Buffy season finale when most colleges/school systems are on break for the summer.

(2021 note: Not sure if this episode is aired at all circa 2021/aired without content cuts now that school violence/school shootings have become a omnipresent issue.)

-Another solitary cry-out of "Has anyone read Mark C. Perry's MORIGU?" with zero feedback.

(2021 note: These solitary cry-outs into the void about MORIGU have been happening since 1988-ish?, and is the final reference to MORIGU in the SFL Archives.)

-The publishers of Archie Comics wanting Melissa Joan Hart removed from the SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH tv-show because of some public comments she made about drinking and having sex.

(2021 note: This is deeply deeply hilarious given the existence and content of the CW tv show RIVERDALE for the past 3+ years.)

-New Line Cinema announces that the Lord of the Rings movies are officially under production status.

-GALAXY QUEST comes out just as 1999 closes and SFLer's aren't sure what to make it yet. The most vocal are angry about Star Trek fandom being mocked, the others just like the movie and the above-average CGI & Sigourney Weaver's Wonderbra.

-There is many 5 or less references to the upcoming potential Year 2000 computer programming scare mania in the SFL Archives, which was interesting and oddball.

(2021 note: Y2K disaster mania was promoted heavily by mass media news corporations and TV. All references to a possible Y2k disaster were quickly swept under the rug by the same groups/corporations that hyped it up so much, just like the Atlanta GA Olympic Games bomber fiasco all caused by those same groups/corporations. The only modern equivalent to the mania about looming potential Y2k disaster is probably the COVID-19/COVID-19 vaccinations)

SFL Archives Volume 23 readthrough

 SFL Archives Volume 23

5.3 mb raw text file

100% completion, 615 bookmarks

Movies, television shows referenced: GATTACA, THE POSTMAN, MORTAL KOMBAT 2, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (tv-series), X-FILES  (tv-series), EARTH FINAL CONFLICT (tv-series), STAR TREK VOYAGER (tv-series), BABYLON 5 (tv-series), STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE (tv-series), MILLENIUM (tv-series), HERCULES THE LEGENDARY ADVENTURES (tv-series), XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS (tv-series), THE WARLORD: BATTLE FOR THE GALAXY, STARGATE SG-1 (tv-series), HIGHLANDER THE TV SERIES, INVASION AMERICA (tv-series), SPHERE, DARK CITY, SPECIES 2, ARMAGEDDON, LOST IN SPACE 1998, SLIDERS (tv-series), TEAM KNIGHT RIDER (tv-series), NEVERWHERE (tv-series), THE INVISIBLE MAN (tv-series), FROM EARTH TO THE MOON (tv-series), WITCHBLADE (tv-series), MERLIN (tv-series), PREY (tv-series), DUNE (tv-series), FANTASY ISLAND 1998 (tv-series), MERCY POINT (tv-series), THE TRUMAN SHOW, THE MATRIX 1, X-FILES: FIGHT THE FUTURE, PI, DEEP IMPACT, SMALL SOLDIERS, THE AVENGERS 1998, NET (tv-series), LEXX (tv-series), VAMPIRES, UPN VAMPYRE/WITCHES, SPACE ISLAND ONE (tv-series), WELCOME TO PARADOX (tv-series), YOUNG HERCULES (tv-series), THE NEW BATMAN ADVENTURES (tv-series), THE SENTINEL (tv-series), SOLDIER, BLADE 1, THE CROW (tv-series), SEVEN DAYS (tv-series), I MARRIED A MONSTER, CHARMED (tv-series), BRATS OF THE LOST NEBULA (tv-series), EARTHWORM JIM (tv-series), BRIMSTONE (tv-series), HOUSE 3, FREE ENTERPRISE, SPACE PRECINCT (tv-series), BLACK SCORPION (tv-series), STAR TREK INSURRECTION.

SF&F stories referenced: VIRTUAL DEATH, GREAT SKY RIVER, EARTH, FREEDOM AND NECESSITY, FORTRESS OF EAGLES, 3001: FINAL ODYSSEY, STALKING TENDER PREY, DAEMONOMANIA, DIASPORA, ONE FOR THE MORNING GLORY, UNWISE CHILD, IDORU, MISSISSIPPI BLUES, THE FIRST IMMORTAL, THE NAKED GOD, STAINLES STEEL RAT FOR PRESIDENT, BEGGARS RIDE, LILITH, A GAME OF THRONES, MASTERHARPER OF PERN, WILD HORSE WOMAN, RINGWORLD, FINDER, ENDERS GAME, CUCKOOS EGG, CONAN THE FREEBOOTER, STAINLESS STEEL RAT GOES TO HELL, STARSHIP TITANIC, THE SILVER METAL LOVER, BRIGHT MESSENGERS, RENEGADES OF PERN, SHADOWS FALL, WHEEL OF STARS, MORE WOMEN OF WONDER, GOLDEN FLEECE, BLACKBRIAR, ALL AMERICAN ALIEN BOY, HARD TO BE A GOD, FAR RAINBOW, A FIRE UPON THE DEEP, MORE THAN HONOR, MUTINEERS MOON, CITY ON FIRE, FOOLS WAR, FORGE OF GOD, ANVIL OF STARS, MISTS OF AVALON, NO BLADE OF GRASS, SKEENS SEARCH, MAKING HISTORY, WOLFS BANE, STARSHIP TROOPERS, A STANISLAW LEM READER, WAR BIRDS, WHITE LIGHT, ISLANDS IN THE NET, THE FAMILY TREE, EXCESSION, GALACTIC CENTER, INFINITIES SHORE, PASTWATCH: THE REDEMPTION, THE NEUTRONIUM ALCHEMIST, BUG PARK, BAD BRAINS, FIRE ROSE, STONE PRINCE, NIGHT, USER FRIENDLY, CRYPTONOMICON, ISLAND IN THE SEA OF TIME, MIND CHANGER, METROPOLITAN, PATH OF THE ECLIPSE, PORNUCOPIA, MONSTER DOGS, FEERSUM ENDJINN, DAUGHTER OF THE BLOOD, CITY OF SORCERY, BLOODSPORT, THE FLIGHT OF DRAGONS, RUSALKA, THE DREAM OUR STUFF IS MADE OF, RAMA REVEALED, SOMEPLACE TO BE FLYING, SILICON KARMA, THE RUNELORDS, SHARDS OF A BROKEN CROWN, STARGATE, HALFWAY HUMAN, A POINT OF HONOR, TIDES OF LIGHT, PHOENIX GUARD, SPIDER LEGS, FEAR PRINCIPLE, MEROVINGEN NIGHTS, RIVERWORLD, WIZARDS FIRST RULE, THIRTEEN VIEWS OF HIGHER EDO, SUMMON THE KEEPER, THE LIONS OF AL-RASSAN, STRANGE ANGELS, THE ENEMY PAPERS, DRAGONS WINTER, A CLASH OF KINGS, AN EXCHANGE OF HOSTAGES, PERSIUS SPUR, FREEDOMS CHALLENGE, CYGNET, THE ECOLITAN OPERATION, DEATH, TIME TRADERS, VACUUM DIAGRAMS, MIDSHIPMANS HOPE, PROPHECY, NORTHERN LIGHTS, HIGHWAYMEN: ROBBERS AND ROGUES, FREEWARE, DOGLAND, CHILDREN OF GOD, THE ALLELUIA FILES, ONLY FORWARD, MANEKI NEKO, WILD MINDS, BETWEEN THE RIVERS, PORTS OF CALL, MANJINN MOON, BURNT OFFERINGS, SHADOW OF THE TORTURER, FREE LIVE FREE, MOSTLY HARMLESS, THE GAIA WEBSTERS, CRASHCOURSE, MOTHER OF STORMS, EON, RUNNING WITH THE DEMON, DIGITAL FORTRESS, TO REIGN IN HELL, EINSTEINS BRIDGE, I STRAHD, THE GOLDEN ONE, THE GLIMMERING, THE HOUSE ON THE BORDERLAND, THE HOMEWARD BOUNDERS, WITCH WEEK, SANDMAN: BOOK OF DREAMS, SONG IN THE SILENCE, COLD IRON, STRANGE BRAINS AND GENIUS, CHIMERA, THE SPARROW, BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE, THE WAR GODS OWN, INVERSIONS, ENEMIES OF THE GOLDEN MEAN, MOVING MARS, THE FURIES, THE EINSTEIN INTERSECTION, CROWN OF STARS, THE STILL, TALKING MAN, THE FARAWAY TREE, HEAVENS REACH, INTERFACE, BARDIC VOICES: THE LARK AND THE WREN, THIS PERFECT DAY, DESIGNING FREEDOM, THE GIVER, ONCE A HERO, BLAMELESS IN ABBADON, THE WAY THE FUTURE WAS, SOFTWARE, CONVERGENCE, WAY STATION, THE LAST HAWK, GOSSAMER AXE, SIGN FOR THE SACRED, JUNIPER GENTIAN AND ROSEMARY, WOLF MOON, HERO!, NIGHTSEER, THE BONES OF TIME, ECOPOIESIS, FINITYS END, CYTEEN, A DOZEN BLACK ROSES, THE BARBED COIL, SILK, THE DOLPHINS OF PERN, SACRIFICE OF FOOLS, THE ECOLITAN ENGIMA, THE LAST CONTINENT, PANDORA, ARCHANGEL, EXORDIUM 1, THE DIAMOND AGE, THE FAMILY TREE, A CANTICLE FOR LEIBOWITZ, MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA, RHIALTO THE MARVELLOUS, A SORCEROR AND A GENTLEMAN, TO SAY NOTHING OF THE DOG, CITADEL OF THE AUTARCH, LORD OF LIGHT, NINE PRINCES IN AMBER, NEVER NEVERNESS, ORBITAL RESONANCE, KALEIDOSCOPE CENTURY, THE MIRACLE STRAIN, DISCLOSURE, THE ELECTRIC ANT, THIS STAR SHALL ABIDE, RING OF LIGHTNING, E-MAIL: A LOVE STORY, LORD OF SUNSET, FLESH AND GOLD, HELM, NOSTRADAMUS ATE MY HAMSTER, TRUE NAMES, POLYMORPH, THE EAGLES THE SWORD, SLANT, QUEEN OF ANGELS, THE WHITE ABACUS, DOWNBELOW STATION, EYE IN THE SKY, CARVE THE SKY, THINK LIKE A DINOSAUR, INFERNO, RADIO FREE ALBEMUTH, THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, ANTARTICA, FIRE ANGELS, PRAYERS TO BROKEN STONES, SERPENTS BLOOD, ONE OF US, NOBODYS SON, THE ROSE SEA, SIX MOON DANCE, NAMELESS MAGERY, THE WHITE TRIBUNAL, THE DEATH OF THE NECROMANCER, AFTER THE BLUE, FLUX, CHARONS ARK, THE FOREVER WAR, SAGA OF THE EXILES, RINGWORLD THRONE, BENEATH VAULTED HILLS, PALIMPSESTS, PROTEUS UNBOUND, DEATH DREAM, EYES OF THE EMPRESS, SILICON SUNSET, 1968, THE STONE CANAL, THE STAR FRACTION, ACORNAS QUEST, SCHOOL OF FIRE, A MILLION OPEN DOORS, THE SPIRIT RING, FLOWERS FOR ALGERNON, THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS, THE TOMB, CONSIDER PHLEBAS, AGAINST A DARK BACKGROUND, GARDEN OF IDEN, AREA 51, FIRESTAR, CHILD OF THE RIVER, MARK OF THE CAT, THE STARS DISPOSE, FACTORING HUMANITY, VIRTUAL UNREALITIES, HYPERION, RISE OF ENDYMION, THE JERICHO ITERATION, CANARY IN A CAT HOUSE, WATCH ME, DONNERJACK, MANSEED, HEARTLIGHT, DARWINIA, SLOW RIVER, JOB: A COMEDY OF JUSTICE, A PATH OF DAGGERS, ETERNITY ROAD, BEOWULFS CHILDREN, HOT SKY AT MIDNIGHT, MOCKINGBIRD, UNTO US A CHILD, GRASS, DREAMS OF STEEL, INTO THE FIRE, THE UNGOVERNED, MILLENIUM EVE, THE PHYSIOGNOMY, THE UNICORN GIRL, SNOWBROTHER, DARKON, WARLORDS, THE HEDGE KNIGHT, THE BRIDGE, EARTH MADE OF GLASS, SATURNALIA, GODZILLA 2000, HOW LIKE A GOD, SONJA BLUE, DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP, BLUE MOON, DEEPDRIVE, ALL THE GODS OF EISERNON, ELLA ENCHANTED, SONG FOR THE BASILISK, SISTER TO THE RAIN, SCENT OF MAGIC, THE DUMB HOUSE, FOLK OF THE FRINGE, ON HER MAJESTYS WIZARDLY SERVICE, REPENT HARLEQUIN SAID THE TICKTOCKMAN, BANK OF FEAR, BEGGARS IN SPAIN, FIRE FROM HEAVEN, THE ORIGIN OF CONSIOUSNESS IN THE BREAKDOWN OF THE BICAMERAL MIND, THE ALIEN YEARS, WIDOWMAKER UNLEASHED, RESUME WITH MONSTERS, THE GATE TO WOMENS COUNTRY, GHOST SEAS, THE GOLDEN GLOBE, WAKING BEAUTY,SAILING TO SARANTIUM, CASSINI DIVISION, BESERKER FURY, FIFTH HEAD OF CEREBUS, THE COMPLETE PEGANA, A SECOND CHANCE AT EDEN, ACCIDENTAL CREATURES, BROWN GIRL IN THE RING, A DEEPER SEA, TEHANU, SECRET HARMONIES, AUTOMATED ALICE, PIXEL JUICE, SPLASHDANCE SILVER, ETERNAL LOVECRAFT, GRINDSTONE, THE RIVER OF TIME, MAXIMUM LIGHT, OWLSIGHT, 22ND GEAR, VAMPIRE$, ARMOR, HEAVY WEATHER, THE RADIANT SEA, ALPHA CENTAURI, THE GREEN RIDER, BLOOD LINES, PARABLE OF THE TALENTS, TEA FROM AN EMPTY CUP, THE TENTH PLANET, THE DUBIOUS HILLS, JED THE DEAD, A MAN OF HIS WORD, CHARIOT, THE SHINING, CARPE JUGULUM, WINTER ROSE, THE GHOST OF THE RELEVATOR, RULES OF ENGAGEMENT, BLACKMANTLE, ATLAS SHRUGGED, COLONY, SPIRIT FOX, THE LADY IN THE LOCH, INHERIT THE EARTH, AGENT OF BYZANTIUM, NIGHT LAMP, DISTRACTION, GOING HOME AGAIN, WOLFS CUB, ARROWDREAMS, STARDUST, THE MAD SHIP.

Pop culture references: Woody Allen, GWAR, Fabio romance novel covers, STARSHIP TITANIC (video game), a First Nations woman suing Canada for being forcibly sterilized, "hurt/comfort" fanfic, "slash" fanfic, Elizabeth Gracen and her history with President Bill Clinton, FRIENDS (tv-series), TOMB RAIDER video games, a un-named X-Men/Star Trek:TNG crossover comic book, Judy Tenuda comedy bits, 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN (tv-series), Funniest Home Videos tv-shows, the Perry Rhodan comic strip/book series, Chronomaster (video game), Cartoon Network Channel, Kids WB, "should be killed every week like Kenny (from South Park)", whatever "Skiffy" is in 1998 terms (maybe it's a really dumb way of saying "sci-fi" perhaps?). 

Technology callbacks: Linux and DAT tapes, CRT computer monitors, IRC hosted roleplaying games, OMNI ON-LINE, ANTI-SPAM software, vast amounts of Spam email coming from aol.com & hotmail.com email addresses, Radio Shack stores.

Death notices: J.T. Walsh, American televion/movie actor. Jerome Bixby, professional SFF writer/tv industry scriptwriter. Phil Hartman, professional comedian and tv comedic-actor.

SFL requests/discussion topics:

>Re: Ringworld setting/Larry Niven fans

>Re: Bujold: where to start

>Re: Cherryh Universe(s)

>Re: Tanith Lee

>Re: Hard to be a God - plot question

>Re: Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast Trilogy(?)

>Re: H. Beam Piper

>Re: David Brin Uplift novels

>Re: Has Piers Anthony gone retro yet?

>Re: Iain Banks

>Re: C.S. friedman, Anyone?

>Re: Next Sime/Gen novel?

>Re: John Barnes -why so much violence and sex?

>Re: Steven Brust's To Reign in Hell

>Re: Anita Blake series: some thoughts

>Re: author Richard Grant

>Re: Defend Philip K Dick

>Re: Darkover questions

>Re: John Brunner suggestions

>Re: S.M. Stirling's Draka novels

>Re: Redwall series- thoughts?

>Re: Anyone have any news on Daniel Keys Moran?

>Re: Wild Cards series

>Re: R.A. MacAvoy

>Re: What is the status of Star Wars 1, 2, and 3?

>Re: House 3?

>Re: Terry Goodkind

>Re: Robert A. Heinlien

>Re: A Game of Thrones

>Re: about "Robert Jordan"

>Re: Van Vogt's Null A books?

-The scifi themed THE OSIRIS CHRONICLES tv movie finally gets released under the name THE WARLORD: BATTLE FOR THE GALAXY.

-Isaac Asimov's FOUNDATION AND EATH still being out of print despite every other Foundation series novel getting republished gets mentioned again.

-Canada forcibly sterilizing First Nations women and the mentally unfit comes during a discussion of H. Beam Piper's work.

-First mention of "hurt/comfort" fanfic in the SFL Archives along with the first mention and explanation of what Slash fanfiction is.

-The Stephen King written episode of the X Files airs, and a bunch of SFLers critique it.

-Many many SFLer's post reviews of the movies DARK CITY and SPECIES 2 and SPHERE and ARMAGGEDON and SOLDIER and LOST IN SPACE and especially X-FILES: FIGHT THE FUTURE.

-First mention of the online bookseller storefront abebooks.com in the SFL Archives.

-A POINT OF HONOR gets reviewed and discussed a few times, which appears to be the ur-Source that Ernest Cline ripped off when writing his best selling novel READY PLAYER ONE.

-John Scalzi appears in the SFL-Archives a good year before his first book is published. David Mitchell, future SFF author also reappears a few times.

-Deranged SFF fans stalking/harassing/vandalizing Mercedes Lackey and Diane Tregarde with one of the harassers eventually being arrested for participating in a kiddie porn ring.

-Sime/Gen story discussion makes a reappearance in the SFL Archives after 5+ years.

-Robert Jordan comments that his wife has threatened to leave him if he strings out the WHEEL OF TIME series to twelve books.

(2021 note: She did not. It took Brandon Sanderson 3 additional highly streamlined books to "finish" the Wheel of Times series that Robert Jordan started writing back in 1984.)

-The jargon in Rudy Rucker's novels SOFTWARE and FREEWARE being incomprehensible to a first time reader, and often taking multiple parses even by a experienced reader of Rudy Rucker.

-The Isaac Asimov franchised out "Robot City" series started in 1987 gets mentioned for the 3rd time ever in the SFL Archives.

(2021 note: This is sort of funny-sad, because I think Asimov planned for this SFF story franchise to pay the bills for his wife/children after his death.)

-SFF author Geoffrey Landis wins a award for his boring IRL daytime job about "developing a sub-miniature nitinol actuator for the Mars Pathfinder probe"

-The SFF periodical OMNI shuts down their web portal OMNI ON-LINE because they were losing massive amounts of money maintaining it/writing for it.

-The SFL Archives mailing list moderator sends out an announcement about ANTI-SPAM measures they are taking, with hotmail.com and aol.com SFLers possibly being blocked in the future.

-SFLer's start heavily discussing the Anita Blake book series and the power-creepage and the love triangles and the sex in them.

-SM Stirling posts about almost using the name of a IRL highly respected Coast Guard officer for one of the villains in his ISLAND IN THE SEA OF TIME novel.

-The tv-series STARGATE SG-1 gets renewed for a few more seasons. Meanwhile the tv-series TEAM KNIGHT RIDER, PREY, and MERCY POINT all get cancelled. 

-Phil Hartman's death is related to the SFL Archives by way of a "3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN is recasting a role due to a death post.

-A internet campaign is started to get Alison Spedding, a 1990's SFF author, out of Bolivian jail.

(2021 note: I have no idea how this played out reading about it 23 years later.)

-Bill Baldwin's HELMSMAN mil-scifi "World War 2 but it's set in space in the future"  stories having a planetary naming scheme that Robert Heinlien and John W Campbell would be proud of.

(2021 note: Baldwin used planet names like Eppeid, which is Deippe in reverse. [sarcasm]Hmmm, wonder what will happen there?[/sarcasm].)

-Martha Well's 3rd novel, THE DEATH OF THE NECROMANCER, comes out, and SFLer's start wanting more Martha Wells stories to come out.

-SFLer's comment on the missing/changed content within the various reprinted editions of Joe Haldeman's THE FOREVER WAR.

-SFLer's wonder when Louis Wu "learned to read" by the time RINGWORLD THRONE happens.

-In a return to the earliest SFL Archives Volumes, one SFLer reviews books and tv shows and movies strictly through what technology was used and whether or not that technology is feasible.

(2021 note: The first 2 or SFL Archives books had a person who interpreted everything through the lens of Larry Niven's KNOWN SPACE technology such as "Clearly Star Wars's lightsabers are merely KNOWN SPACE mono-filiment blades with fiber optic lighting effects". I miss that person's takes and hope the 1998 "I see everything through technological feasibility" SFLer keeps doing their thing.)

-More instances of extended unexpected outages of the SFL Archives server hardwere/server software. The SFL Archives mailing list was down for roughly 2.5 months total in 1998.

-A SFLer is looking for a half-remembered story about "a stepmother of some Down's Syndrome vampires".

-SFLer's like the premiere of CHARMED in ways that heavily reminds me of Quantum Leap.

(2021 note: Only it's male viewers who really like watching Charmed...the most die-hard fans and viewers of Quantum Leap in the SFL Archives were woman. Eye candy is eye candy.)

-One SFLer comments that TWISTER stole Bruce Sterling's "cow gag" from Heavy Weather.

-SFLer's rebring up the fact that AE Van Vogt was a die-hard promoter of Dianetics before L Ron Hubbard exiled him and before that AE Van Vogt was a die-hard promoter of Alfred Korzybski's General Semantics. AE Van Vogt's NULL A series heavily promoted the General Semantics viewpoints and belief system.

(2021 note: The framework tying Vogt's VOYAGE OF THE SPACE BEAGLE has heavy General Semantics vibes too.) 

-It took 6+ years but SFLer's finally start replying to Evlyn Leeper and Mark Leeper's reviewer-posts about various SFF themed books and movies.

(2021 note: Chalking this up to the really inconsistent inclusion/exclusion policies the SFL Archives mailing list maintainer has been using ever since 1991/1992.)

-The final episode of BABYLON 5 airs and just about every SFL fan of Babylon 5 posts a unique homage of what Babylon 5 meant to them.

SFL Archives Volume 22b readthrough

 SFL Archives Volume 20b

3.3 mb raw text file

100% completion, 364 bookmarks

Movies, television shows referenced: STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE (tv-series), STAR TREK: VOYAGER (tv-series), BABYLON 5 (tv-series), ROAR (tv-series), MILLENIUM (tv-series), CONAN THE BARBARIAN (tv-series), HERCULES THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS (tv-series), XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS (tv-series), X-FILES (tv-series), HIGHLANDER THE TV SERIES (tv-series), TEAM KNIGHT RIDER (tv-series), BAYWATCH NIGHTS (tv-series), THE VISITOR (tv-series), EARTH FINAL CONFLICT (tv-series), NIGHTFLYERS, SCREAM 1, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (tv-series), MIMIC, LOST IN SPACE, MEN IN BLACK 1, AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON, BATMAN AND ROBIN, CONTACT, MONSTERS (tv-series), MISSION GENESIS (tv-series), HONEY WE SHRUNK OURSELVES, CRONOS, JAMES CAMERONS AVATAR 1, EVENT HORIZON, KULL THE CONQUERER, GATTACA, SPAWN, STEEL, STARGATE SG-1 tv-series), ALIEN NATION tv-series), SLEEPWALKERS (tv-series), LORD OF THE RINGS, STANLEY KUBRICKS A.I., SPACE TRUCKERS, THE POSTMAN, AMAZON HIGH (tv-series), NIGHTMAN (tv-series), TIMECOP (tv-series), NEVERWHERE (tv-series), THE APOCALYPSE, ROCKET MAN, MEN IN BLACK 1, THE DEVILS ADVOCATE, STARSHIP TROOPERS 1, I ROBOT, MORTAL KOMBAT 1, ALIEN RESURRECTION. 

SF&F stories referenced: I AM LEGEND, SHADOW WARS, RAMA 2, DRUM WARNING, LORD OF THE ISLES, FOOTPRINTS OF THUNDER, FIRESTAR, THE CALCUTTA CHROMOSOME, AMMONITE, THE LAUGHING CORPSE, BEYOND THIS HORIZON, FOOD OF THE GODS, CARD MASTER, GOLDEN WITCHBREED, HUMPTY DUMPTY AN OVAL, SEARCH FOR THE SUN, THE TRANSISTION OF HP LOVECRAFT, MAGIC KINGDOM FOR SALE, GATES OF IVORY, THE DUNGEON, GRUNTS!, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, BEGGARS RIDE, WHO HUNT BY NIGHT, REMNANT MOON, BEYOND THE BLUE GATEWAY, EARTHQUAKE WEATHER, THE GODWHALE, THE SHADOW MATRIX, GAP INTO CONFLICT, EXPENDABLE, THE REALITY DYSFUNCTION, THE PROPHET OF LAMATH, EMERALD HOUSE RISING, BIBLE STORIES FOR ADULTS, THE OTHER END OF TIME, THE GOLDEN COMPASS, THE SUBTLE KNIFE, ANTHEM, WIND FROM A FOREIGN SKY, RED MARS, BLUE MARS, POINT OF HOPES, THE BILLION DOLLAR BOY, CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS, THE FLEET OF STARS, FLUX, WIZ BIZ, DRAGON, HELLSTROMS HIVE, THE PATH OF DAGGERS, COST TO BE WISE, HYPERION, ENDYMION, RISE OF ENDYMION, VIRTUAL DEATH, BOOK OF NIGHT WITH MOON, ZODIAC, NEWS FROM THE EDGE, PROFITEER, CYTEEN, HOGG, BLAMELESS IN ABADDON, BEYOND THE VEIL OF STARS, WATERBORN, A PURSUIT OF MIRACLES, THE OPIUCHI HOTLINE, THE PEACE WAR, MAROONED IN REAL TIME, WITCH AND WOMBAT, PERMUTATION CITY, GAME OF THRONES, DECEPTION WELL, CELESTIS, THE LAST DEADLOSS VISIONS, THE GOLDEN KEY, INFINITE JEST, IN ENEMY HANDS, TAM LIN, THE REVOLUTION FROM ROSINANTE, INTO THE FORGE, THE WEAPON SHOPS OF ISHER, SECTOR GENERAL, TO SAY NOTHING OF THE DOG, ONE FOR THE MORNING GLORY, TITAN, SLANT, HEART OF THE COMET, THE PRACTICE EFFECT, HOW LIKE A GOD, CIPHERS, RALLY CRY, UNION FOREVER, MINDSTAR RISING, A QUANTUM MURDER, THE NANO FLOWER, INTO THE FOREST, THE CAT WHO WALKED THROUGH WALLS, THE WHITE PLAGUE, INHERIT THE STARS, THE GRID, THE BARBED COIL, OWLFLIGHT, MOMENTO MORI, EXCESSION, LOOK INTO THE SUN, LADYLORD, PROPHET, RUNNING WITH THE DEMON, DARK BORDER, ONLY FORWARD, FIRST AND LAST MAN, THE WORLD THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL, STARLIGHT 1, THE POSTMAN, CATCH THE LIGHTNING, ETERNITY, ROGUE MOON, FINITYS END, THE FAIRY OF KU-SHE, 100 WICKED LITTLE WITCH STORIES, 100 VICIOUS LITTLE VAMPIRE STORIES, PRESENT TENSE, DIASPORA, THE CLOAK AND DAGGER, CATARACT, THE LAST WIZARD, STEAL THE DRAGON, SYZYGY, THE PRICE OF THE STARS, TIMESHARE, TREACHERY OF THE DEMON KING, LOOKAWAY, TIGANA, LENS OF THE WORLD, STAR FRACTION, THE STONE CANAL, POWERS THAT BE, ROSE DAUGHTER, THE CHAOS BALANCE, DESTINYS ROAD, INVERTED WORLD, ATLAS SHRUGGED, POSITRONIC MAN, PATRIOTS, STATIONS OF THE TIDE, THE CYBERIAD, THE MOUNTAIN MADE OF LIGHT, THE SERVANT OF THE BONES, TOMOE GOZEN, THE ARMOR OF LIGHT, TEKLORDS, FIRST TO FLIGHT, MALLWORLD, FIRE FROM THE WINE DARK SEA, A KING OF INFINITE SPACE, SCHISMATRIX PLUS, THURSDAY, SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME, HOW FEW REMAIN, THE CENTAUR, THE MERRO TREE, A FOREST LORD, LOOKING FOR THE MAHDI, FARADAYS ORPHANS, FALSE DAWN, THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE, VIRUS, POLGARA THE SORCERESS, NEVERWHERE, THE ALIEN DARK, LEGEND, WIZARDS FIRST RULE, DR ADDER, DERYNI RISING, DREAMSNAKE, ALADORE, SABRIEL, THE DIAMOND AGE, LEGGY STARLITZ, DISTRACTION, YESTERDAYS MEN, OTHERLAND, THE KILLING STAR, THE RISING, MARS UNDERGROUND, WIZARD AND GLASS, DARWINIA, THE INTERIOR LIFE, MIRROR DANCE, DANCERS RISE, EINSTEINS BRIDGE, FOREVER PEACE, MARTIANS IN MAGGODY, A WALK IN THE SUN, RAZORS EDGE, JINGO, PICNIC ON PARADISE, FAMILY TREE, EXORCISMS AND ECSTASIES, STARSHIP TROOPERS, THE DRAGON AND THE UNICORN, THE NEUTRONIUM ALCHEMIST, VOYAGES BY STARLIGHT, EXILE, THE PRESTIGE, JURGEN, THINK LIKE A DINOSAUR, MAGICIANS WARD, FUGITIVE PRINCE, HARVEST OF STARS, SPIDER LEGS, SIN OF ORIGIN, FORTRESS OF EAGLES, CLOUDS RIDER, DUNE MESSIAH, A SONG FOR ARBONNE, WITCH WORLD, RINGWORLD THRONE, FLIGHT OF VENGEANCE, CITY ON FIRE.

Pop culture references: the Social Credit Card political party of British Columbia Canada, Dennis Miller's sprawling referential monologues, Baywatch Nights, George of the Jungle, 

Technology callbacks: "dusty 3 inch A disks(?)", DejaNews the Internet search engine, the fermi paradox

Death notices: Paul Edwin Zimmer, SFF author. G. Harry Stine aka Lee Correy, SFF author and model rocketry industry wunderkin.

SFL requests/discussion topics:

>Re: How much Lem is Lem

>Re: How racist was Lovecraft

>Re: Ringworld Engineers, a daft question

>Re: What ever happened to Mack Reynolds

>Re: RGB Mars trilogy (Kim Stanley Robinson)

>Re: Samuel Delany

>Re: A few thoughts on Ursula LeGuin

>Re: E.E. Smith Lensman - Where to start?

>Re: Has Sliders had TOO MANY chances?

>Re: Handmaid's Tale SciFi?

>Re: A.S. Byatt? What to read?

>Re: Game of Thrones Praises/Gripes

>Re: Stargate SG-1

>Re: Alien Nation question

>Re: Robert Asprin "Myth" series

>Re: David Brin any good?

>Re: Card Problems (Orson Scott Card)

>Re: Storm Constantine

>Re: One-Note Eddings

>Re: Heinlein's CAT WHO WALKED sucks

>Re: Excession a disappointment

>Re: Andrew J. Offutt

>Re: Darkover for beginners

>Re: Rogue Moon (Algis Budrys)

>Re: Is Charles DeLint any good

>Re: Mageworld series

>Re: Clifford Simak

>Re: John Updike? SF?

>Re: Xena and her dad

>Re: Things I learned from Team Knight Rider

>Re: Any STEN fans?

>Re: War against the Chtorr

>Re: Terry Goodkind

>Re: Sterling: Leggy Starlitz

>Re: George Zebrowski?

>Re: Vance - The Dying Earth

>Re: Arthur C Clarke RETIRE!

>Re: Dickson's Childe Cycle reading order

>Re: Style change in LeGuin's fiction

-A SFLer refuses to believe that HP Lovecraft's stories had lots of racism in them, doubling down by saying they've only read the German? translations of Lovecraft when other SFLers go "oh hell yes HP Lovecraft's stories were racist top to bottom".

-SFLer's new to Robert Anson Heinleins work ask what the differences are between the posthumous unabridged version of STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND and the original published version

-John Dos Passos using the "sidebar" literary technique decades before John Brunner & Fredrick Pohl (and Stephen King) utilizied that technique in their stories comes up for the 5th or 8th time since the SFL Archives has existed.

(2021 note: This 5th or 8th reminder that John Dos Passos originated the "sidebar" literary technique finally made set aside the time to read Dos Passos U.S.A. trilogy. That time and effort was not wasted, despite their 70+ year age the U.S.A. trilogy holds up well.)

-The 2nd book in Philip Pullman's Golden Compass series, The Subtle Knife, comes out, and peoples minds start breaking when they discuss the Golden Compass books. Certain SFLer's absolutely cannot handle the mix of technology and sci-fi AND Narnia elements in the Golden Compass books.

-SFLer's note how many modern authors rip off the plot and characters in Rudyard Kiplings CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS story in their adventure and mil-fiction stories.

(2021 note: CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS is a deep cut. Not sure how many people in 2000 - 2021 have read CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS on their own without being forced to read it via a college English literature course.)

-SFLer's start discussing Samuel Delany, and his most controversial published work like HOGG. The same SFLer's who really liked the torture-porn scenes in Terry Goodkind's work really really really like HOGG.

-Claudia Christian's take on why she will not be appearing in season 5 of Babylon 5 gets reposted to the SFL Archives/how Claudia Christian found out she was fired from Babylon 5 season 5 after spending a weekend promoting season 5 of Babylon 5 in London alongside a bunch of other Babylon 5 actors and show producers.

(2021 note: The B5 producers do not come off good, especially JMS's lumping all the blame onto Babylon 5 producer John Copeland for roughly the 600th time.)

-Avid hate-watchers of the tv-series SLIDERS come out in droves when the question "Has Sliders had TOO MANY chances?" comes up in the SFL Archives. Gharlane of Eddore manages to solidify his status as a proto-incel while talking about the all the wrongs things SLIDERS does/why SLIDERS is a abomination.

-Virtually every Star Trek fan in the SFL Archives turns on Majel Barrett Roddenberry when she heavily invokes Gene Roddenberry's name and legacy when promoting the upcoming in Fall 1997 tv-series EARTH FINAL CONFLICT. Even the SFLer who wrote 9000 words defending Majel-Barrett Roddenberry back in SFL Archives Vol 22a does a complete 180 twist andturns against her.

(2021 note: The underlying tone of all the anti Majel-Barrett Roddenberry posts is "how fucking DARE she" promote a non Star Trek tv-series and use the name of her husband/use her husband's notes & failed previous tv-pilot attempts while DS9 & Voyager are still being produced by Paramount.)

-ROAR the short lived 1997 fantasy tv-series starring Heath Ledger comes out on the FOX network and nearly everyone who posts about ROAR spends tons of effort ripping it apart for not adhering to history/technical inaccuracies/not living up to SCA fight standards. Gharlane of Eddore again goes that extra step in new tv show haterdom/incel-dom.

-A SFLer review of HONEY WE SHRUNK OURSELVES makes special note of young actress Alison Mack showing particular promise and how the camera loves her little smiles.

(2021 note: Retroactively funny and creepy given Alison Mack's recent court trail and conviction for co-running the NXIVM sex-slave cult.)

-The first mention of a James Cameron movie project called AVATAR slated for a 1999 release date.

-Almost every SFLer posts a review of the movie GATTACA, however every single SFLer in existence later in SFL Archives Vol 22b will post a review and critique of the 1997 movie STARSHIP TROOPERS and how it does live up to the vision and scope of Robert Heinlein's novel the movie was adapted from.

(2021 note: Roughly 12% of SFL Archives Vol 22b is devoted to STARSHIP TROOPERS 1997 reviews and critiques) 

-Glen Cooks Black Company series gets discussed when SHE IS THE DARKNESS is released. One SFLer jokingly manages to predict Sleepy becoming the next chronicler of the Black Company.

-Harlan Ellison making a funny in retrospect comment in one of his Dangerous Vision collections about how "..if Kate Wilhem is the woman's voice for this genration of speculative fictoon, James Tiptree Jr. is the man's voice."

-SFLers start commenting how one-note David Eddings is, as in every book or story written by Eddings is a thinly revised version of the story he's written 15+ times now.

-Something about Arthur C Clarke hoarding his copy of J. Bernal's THE WORLD THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL and refusing to loan it out to other authors due to it's rarity.

-SFLer's start commenting on Jeri Ryan being a improvement to STAR TREK VOYAGER. SFLer's will later rave about the Voyager 'Year of Hell' and hope that it isn't rolled back like every other Voyager episode involving damage to the ship or a Voyager shuttlecraft being destroyed is.

-SFLer's note there is rumors and speculation floating around the Internet concerning Peter Jackson's LORD OF THE RINGS movie adaptation.

(2021 note: Mostly of historical note showing that Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie trilogy had been in movie development hell for years.)

-One of the first standalone mentions of actor Karl Urban in the SFL Archives

-Michael Moorcock saying that for adventure books, it shouldn't take any longer to write than to read them.

-Paul T. Riddell posts a huffy "I'm retiring from writing SF fiction" open letter to the Internet blaming burnout from toxi fans and people not caring about his in-depth SF genre criticism reviews in SF genre periodicals, and absolutely no from the SFL Archives cares enough about Paul T. Riddell to respond.

-SCI-WIRE breaks the news that Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson have signed a contract to write DUNE series prequels and sequels

-SFLer's discuss how awful and out of tone Harlan Ellison's screenplay of I ROBOT was to Isaac Asimov's existing Robot stories.

-EARTH FINAL CONFLICT airs and everyone who isn't a Star Trek fan comments on how suprisely decent it is, and look forward to new episodes.

(2021 note: Absolutely none of the die-hard Star Trek fan that earlier in SFL Archives Vol 22b verbally ripped Majel-Barrett Roddenberry apart for the audacity of producing a non-Star Trek tv-series ever comments on EARTH FINAL CONFLICT like they do on SLIDERS and ROAR and STARGATE SG-1, etc...)

SFL Archives Volume 22a readthrough update 02

FL Archives Volume 22b

4.1mb raw text file

100% completion, 434 bookmarks

Movies, television shows referenced: CONTACT, LIAR LIAR, SPECIES 2, METROPOLIS 1927, MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000: THE MOVIE, EVENT HORIZON, CAPRICORN ONE,  ROSSUM'S UNIVERSAL ROBOTS (PLAY), STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE (tv-series), SLIDERS (tv-series), LEXX (tv-series), 20000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA (tv-series), WYRD SISTERS (tv-series), THE SHINING (tv-series), MILLENIUM (tv-series), DARK SKIES (tv-series), INVASION (tv-series), CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, CYBORG 2: GLASS SHADOW, JOHNNY MNEMONIC, HONEY I BLEW UP THE KID, XTRO 1, XTRO 2, TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE, SUPERMAN RETURNS, LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY, LOST IN SPACE 1998, MY FAVORITE MARTIAN, NEVERENDING STORY 3, THE FIFTH ELEMENT, STAR TREK: VOYAGER (tv-series), BABYLON 5 (tv-series), THE ODYSSEY (tv-series), BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (tv-series), TWISTOR, THE ARRIVAL, JURASSIC PARK 2, ALIEN NATION (tv-series), RED DWARF (tv-series), HBO'S PERVERSIONS OF SCIENCE (tv-series), STARGATE SG-1 (tv-series), THE COMPANION.

SF&F stories referenced: BEYOND THE BEYOND, TIME BREAKERS, SMALL GODS, JOHNNY AND THE DEAD, LIFEHOUSE, THE SPARROW, A HANDBOOK OF AMERICAN PRAYER, INFINITE JEST,STAR OF THE UNBORN, SOLDIER OF THE MIST, THE DARK SHORE, EXCESSION, AGAINST A DARK BACKGROUND, ROSSUM'S UNIVERSAL ROBOTS, WIZARDS FIRST RULE, DEMON RIDER, A CROWN OF SWORDS, WIZARD AND GLASS, STRATA, INTERESTING TIMES, SPARES, IN ENEMY HANDS, THE TIME SHIPS, FOUNDATIONS FEAR, IMMERSION, THE ROSE AND THE SCAPEL, MOVING MARS, 3001: THE FINAL ODYSSEY, CHILDREN OF AMARID, HELIX: GEMINI BLOOD, ASSASSINS QUEST, COUNT GEIGERS BLUES, THE SECRET ASCENSION, SHADOW RISING, REMNANT POPULATION, REDLINE THE STARS, THE GOLDEN COMPASS, PAVANE, SOFTWARE, WIZARD IN RHYME, BRITTLE INNINGS, TRADER, THE KILLING DANCE, KING DAVIDS SPACESHIP, DOGLAND, HOLY FIRE, DEATH GROUND, MENACE OF THE SAUCERS, MINING THE SKY: UNTOLD RICHES FROM THE ASTEROIDS COMETS AND PLANETS, ETERNITY ROAD, OTHERLAND, QUICKER THAN THE EYE, BROKEDOWN PALACE, FALCON, CYTEEN, FINAL ENCYCLOPEDIA, DORSAI!, DISTRESS, DHIAMMARA, PRINCE OF SUNSET, CAGEWORLD 1: SEARCH FOR THE SUN, WHEN THE GODS ARE SILENT, HUNTING THE CORRIGANS BLOOD, HELL ON HIGH, DESTINYS ROAD, WITNESS OF GOR, THE AFFIRMATION, THE MAGEBORN TRAITOR, THE SERPENT GARDEN, MAGE HEART, THE CHILD GARDEN, LADY OF AVALON, MEMORY, QUEEN CITY JAZZ, GALATEA 2.2, RED MARS, BLUE MARS, THE LOST WORLD, CARRION COMFORT, RISE OF ENDYMION, MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA, THE BLABBER, ACORNS, THE ALCHEMICAL MARRIAGE OF ALISTAIR CROMPTON, THE IRON DRAGONS DAUGHTER, A PURSUIT OF MIRACLES, WANDERING STAR, JIPI AND THE PARANOID CHIP, BOOK OF ENCHANTMENTS, ABSOLUTE MAGNITUDE, GLOBALHEAD.

Pop culture references: the 1950's british radio comedy series the Goon Show, the Carry On movie franchise, whatever the hell  "Mark Rothko Clothing Encounter" is, Dogbert, Scott Adams & Harlan Ellison making cameo appearances in Babylon 5.

Technology callbacks: telnet vs GUI internet browsing choices, bringing a notebook laptop to a convention to catch up on usenet in convention downtime.

Death notices: Alexander Salkind, Hollywood movie producer. Samuel Mosokowitz, SFF author & editor. Lou Stathis, High Times editor-in-chief, Vertigo Comics managing director.

SFL requests/discussion topics:

>Re: Tim Powers: is Ashbless real?

>Re: why I don't like Terry Pratchett

>Re: Different versions of Metropolis 1927

>Re: Iain Banks Culture series (SPOILERS)

>Re: Michael Bishop's newest: opinions?

>Re: Names in Chronicles of Thomas Covenant

>Re: David Eddings

>Re: Pavane

>Re: Sliders (why doesn't Quinn go on strike?)

>Re: New Thomas Covenant Trilogy

>Re: Zelazny's Amber

>Re: How is Diamond Age?

>Re: Odo committed Genocide -DS9

>Re: Bujold meets Sayers

>Re: Jack Chalker

>Re: Harlan Ellison: Where to start

>Re: Is Sterling Lanier still around?

>Re: Sequel to Martin's "A Game of Thrones"

>New Gor Novel and Gor Magazine

>Re: Tim Powers Questin

>Re: Dan Simmons

>Re: Vernor Vinge

>Re: Not crazy about Tau Zero

>Who was/is the Youngest Published SF Author?

>Re: Ringworld Engineers, a daft question

>Re: Neal Stephenson SF in Forbes

>Re: A Question about Jack Vance's Work

>Re: Gene Wolfe, certain books any good?

-1997 is when SFLers start feeling safe enough online to start saying that Orson Scott Card, Dan Simmons, and Arthur C Clarke work has all sucked for a while.

-Lee Goldberg, the author of BEYOND THE BEYOND/DEAD SPACE, responds to the huge angry negative review a SFLer posted of his book. Lee Goldberg explains that he is an actual tv screenwriter/tv producer, Star Trek wasn't being parodied, the book is a satire of events he's experienced and that everyone whose real names were used in the book were asked & clued in to the contents of the book before it got published.

(2021 note: The SFL person who posted the huge angry negative review posts almost exclusively about STAR TREK tv series/is a massive Star Trek fan, so that explains their intense anger The SFL reviewer took the corrections from Lee Goldberg in good faith and everyone moved on after a day.)

-More people respond to the "Why I don't like Terry Pratchett" discussion thread offering various Young Adult novels Pratchett wrote. A smaller amount of people respond back that Terry Pratchett fails to land for them too, despite liking classic British humor things like the Carry On movies.

-Another retroactively painful in 2020/2021 comment from way back in 1997 about "It's nice to now SOMEBODY can get away with publishing novels under 250 pages. Painful because TOR Books has been getting away with charging $10-$14 for 120 page or smaller novellas since at least 2016.

(2021 note: The first time book price complaints came up in the SFL Archives was circa 1980/1981 when it was people complain commenting on the price jump from $0.50 to $1.00 for paperback books.)

-One of the first mentions of the Annotated Pratchett File website, which lists and explains more than 1300 references and obscure jokes in Pratchett's book as of 1997.

-Films mentioned in SFL Vol 22a that have been in production hell for years as of 1997: JOHN CARTER, SUPERMAN RETURNS, ENDERS GAME, SPIDERMAN, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA, LORD OF THE RINGS

-More SFLers chime in about really enjoying Terry Goodkind's WIZARDS FIRST RULE series, especially the torture-porn elements in it.

-11 weeks of downtime for the SFL Archives mailing list caused by multiple server hardware failure events and mailing list moderator vacations/moderator sickness leave. SFL Archives Volume 22a covers 26 weeks (Jan 1 - June 30th 1997).

(2021 note: SFL Archives Volume 22a covers 26 weeks (Jan 1 - June 30th 1997). So the SFL Archives was down and unavailable to users and subscribers for roughly 42% of SFL Archives Volume 22a. No idea if outages will happen in the back half of 1997/SFL Archives Volume 22b, but do expect at least one outage event due to the past 7 yrs of SFL Archives history.)

-SFLers start commenting on Gregory Benford's habit of repeatedly whole-sale recycling previously written set-pieces by himself into new stories, and selling everything as new content. SFLer's note that the Benford written FOUNDATIONS FEAR HAS two examples of Benford recycling content: The primitive portion of FF is Benford's IMMERSION with a few name changes, and Benfords THE ROSE AND THE SCAPEL is inserted into large portions of FF with minor name changes as well.

-Philip Pullman's THE GOLDEN COMPASS comes up for discussion again.

-LEXX the SFF tv-movie/tv-series is set to premiere sometime in the back half of 1997 on cable television. 

-The 5TH ELEMENT comes out and seemingly everyone in the SFL Archives writes a glowingly positive review of it.

-BALTICON 1997 Balticon 1997 reviews mostly focus on the age of the hotel, the inconsistent no-smoking policy enforcement throughout the hotel and slightly improved handicapped access; along with convention staff willing to help out handicapped people unable to deal with the weird multi-floor art auction setup Balticon 1997 had.

-Minicon 32 convention report: Notable for a endless drum circle throughout Minicon 32, the 5-20 pounds of  meat falling from the 7th floor that almost brained a hotel guest hanging out in the convention hotel's atrium incident, and gross hygiene at open-food-buffet convention parties.

-Intervention 1997 held in Liverpool England was notable for the "Make Your Own Badge" project that other future conventions hit up for hundreds of free badges, lots of theft running from stealing of money tins from convention stands to literal breaking into and robbery of multiple hotel rooms with fire extinguishers, along with tons of SFF fandom interactions and meetup that Dave Langford's Ansible issue about Intervention 1997 probably covered in detail, and finally for teaching me a new unit of liquid measurement.

(2021 note: That new measurement being "kils/kilderkin". 1 kilderkin equals 18 gallons of liquid, 2 kilderkin equals 36 gallons, etc.

-The 1997 Sci-Fi Collectibles Show Cherry Hill NJ convention report was notable for a in-depth transcript of Gil Gerald giving commentary on his experience on the BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY (tv-series). Gil Gerald preferred the 1st season vs the 2nd season of the show, mentioned his favorite episode of the show, liked Hawk the actor, related how hard it was acting vs colored lighting taking the place of to-be-created-special effects, and noted how production staff kept tweaking set design and ignoring his input on scripts. 

 -Jeff Vogel, the Spiderweb Software game developer returns to the SFL Archives to post on "Re: Harlan Ellison: Where to start" using his official Spiderweb Software email account.

-The person who made a career of posting about naked people on the Internet, Mr Skin, posts about the return of the GOR books and a new GOR magazine, and then later on posts a highly positive review of AMMONITE...but is disappointed that lesbianism wasn't explained or explored more in the book.

-The first casting details for STARGATE SG-1 drop, people have no comments so far.

-Jeri Ryan is announced as joining the next season of STAR TREK: VOYAGER.

-An SFLer brings up the question: "Who was/is the Youngest Published SF Author?" and name-drops Michael Moorcook as creating fanzines at age 11 and being a published professionally at age 18.

(2021 note: This is a discussion thread I hope gets picked up again on in SFL Archives Volume 22b.)

-Neal Stephenson writes a science-fiction story for Forbes Magazine called JIPI AND THE PARANOID CHIP, featuring yet another idea and concept that Neal Stephenson has stolen from the Cypherpunks CYPHERNOMICON.

(2021 note: No-one ever mentions this Neal Stephenson story when discussing Stephenson's work. For people who don't feel like looking it up, Jipi is about AI instances trained to be paranoid, then a Silicon Valley startup decides to use paranoid AI Instances as improved car alarms, then someone has the bright idea to wire explosives to the Paranoid AI car alarms, and everything gets stupider and stupider from that point. 

As I have stated previously, all of Neal Stephenson's ideas and cutting edge scenarios in his stories ultimately come from the CYPHERNOMICON FAQ. The CYPHERNOMICON is a large FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) text file listing the most common topics of discussion and bleeding edge ideas that had come up in the Cypherpunks mailing list as of September 10 1994.)

SFL Archives Volume 22a readthrough update 01

 SFL Archives Volume 22a

4.1mb raw text file

59% completion, 238 bookmarks

Movies, television shows referenced: STARWOLF (tv-series), STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE (tv-series), STAR TREK: VOYAGER (tv-series), BABYLON 5 (tv-series), STAR TREK FIRST CONTACT, MACROSS PLUS (tv-series), THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD, THE BURNING ZONE (tv-series), THE PRETENDER (tv-series), POLTERGEIST: THE LEGACY (tv-series), FRIDAY THE THIRTEEN THE TV SERIES (tv-series), SAPPHIRE AND STEEL (tv-series), STANLEY KUBRICKS A.I., STAR WARS SPECIAL EDITION, STRANGE DAYS, SPAWN 1997, SPAWN (tv-series), GATE TO THE MINDS EYE, RELIC, THE FIFTH ELEMENT, THE SATAN BUG, HACKERS 1995, BEYOND REALITY (tv-series), EERIE INDIANA (tv-series), THE CAPE (tv-series), NOWHERE MAN  (tv-series), THE PROFILER (tv-series), SLIDERS (tv-series), RED DWARF (tv-series), BURNING ZONE (tv-series), X-FILES (tv-series), THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD 1996, LAND BEFORE TIME 4, STARSHIP TROOPERS 1, SEAQUEST DSV  (tv-series), HERCULES THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS (tv-series), XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS (tv-series), HIGHLANDER THE TV SERIES (tv-series), PSI FACTOR (tv-series), MARS ATTACKS!, FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON (tv-series), SHE-WOLF OF LONDON (tv-series), POLTERGEIST THE LEGACY (tv-series), BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER (tv-series), DEEP IMPACT, MEN IN BLACK 1, DARK SKIES (tv-series), MEN IN BLACK: THE SERIES (tv-series), 20000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA 1997.

SF&F stories referenced: NEMESIS, CRUX OF BATTLE, PRELUDE TO FOUNDATION, INFINITIES SHORE, THE DUBIOUS HILLS, THE SECRET COUNTRY, THE HIDDEN LAND, GAP INTO RUIN, TIME STATION LONDON, STARQUAKE, ONE KINGS WAY, MEMOIR FROM ANTPROOF CASE, THE ODYSSEUS SOLUTION,MAGNIFICAT, SPACE OPERA, THE HANGMANS BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER, REMNANT POPULATION, AUTOMATED ALICE, SPACE VIKING, ENCHANTMENTS, LOVE AND SLEEP, FARNHAMS FREEHOLD, HELLSPARK, FIONVAR TAPESTRY, WEYRS OF PERN, VENDETTA, THE EIGHT, A CALCULATED RISK, INITIATE BROTHER, TERMINAL EXPERIMENT, BEGGARS IN SPAIN, ARMOR, VAMPIRE$, ASCENDANCIES, HAL'S LEGACY: 2001'S COMPUTER AS DREAM AND REALITY, THE TWO GEORGES, PARIS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, A FIRE UPON THE DEEP, HONOR AMONG ENEMIES, THE OUTCASTS OF HEAVEN BELT, ROCK OF AGES, CHUNG KAO, EXCESSION, EON, MARTIAN CHRONICLES, ZIMIAVIAN, PERMUTATION CITY, KINGS DRAGON, WILDSIDE, MOTHER OF STORMS, THE FAIRY OF KU-SHE, THE PUPPET MASTERS, ETERNITY ROAD, ANCIENT SHORES, THE WORLD AT THE END OF TIME, THE PRESTIGE, DIAMOND AGE, THE COLOR OF DISTANCE, ECCE AND OLD EARTH, HOW TO PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD, SOLDIER OF ARETE, EXCESSION, BEARS DISCOVER FIRE, A FISH DINNER IN MEMISON, MEMORY, IDORU, MOTHER OF WINTER, A SONG FOR ARBONNE, SAILING BRIGHT ETERNITY, THE TRUTH MACHINE, BOOK OF EARTH, FEET OF CLAY, THE MAGEBORN TRAITOR, FLIGHT ENGINEER, LIQUID DIET, BOOK OF THE NEW SUN, POINT OF HOPES, AFTERMATH, INFECTRESS, THE SHADOW OF THE SHIP, GLIMMERING, LUCK IN THE SHADOWS, NATURE OF SMOKE, SONG IN THE SILENCE: THE TALE OF LANEN KAELAR, A GIFT FROM EARTH, THE SYNDIC, THE SPARROW, CONTACT, ENDYMION, THE DIG, FOUNDATIONS FEAR, TOO LONG A SACRIFICE, XENOCIDE, STARSHIP TROOPERS, THE DAY THE MARTIANS CAME, MAN OF STEEL WOMAN OF KLEENEX, THE SHIP AVENGED, BRAIN WAVE, BLEAK LANDS, HAIR OF THE DOG, ONCE A HERO, MAYBE I WILL CALL ANNA, OTHERLAND, FREEDOM AND NECESSITY, VURT, WORLDS APART: THE UNHOLY WAR BETWEEN RELIGION AND SCIENCE, SHADOWS OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS, ZOD WALLOP, THE COCKATRICE BOYS, THE CRYSTAL CROWN, HOW TO LIKE A GOD, GAWAIN AND LADY GREEN, CELESTIAL MATTERS, AGAINST NATURE, ENGINES OF THE NIGHT, LIFEHOUSE, TOMORROW AND TOMORROW, THE GUNS OF THE SOUTH, LES REVES DEL LA MER, DARWINIA, PROMISED LAND, WAKING BEAUTY, COSMIC CRITIQUES: HOW AND WHY 10 SCIENCE FICTION STORIES WORK, THE EYES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS, CHOOSERS OF THE SLAIN, THE TOO READY WRITER, MIDSHIPMANS HOPE, BEYOND THE BEYOND/DEAD SPACE, THE REALITY DISFUNCTION, PATH TO OTHERWHERE, THE DOPPLEGANGER GAMBIT, FLAG IN EXILE, 20000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, THE SUN THE MOON AND THE STARS, TOP DOG.

Pop culture references: Duke Nukem, boardgame version of H Beam Piper's SPACE VIKING, www.altavista.com, Marvel Comics Conan the Barbarian stories, SFF fans getting tattoos of their favorite SFF characters, a cartoon series of SPAWN being in pre-production, Thomas Dolby music videos, Rush Limbaugh attacking liberals on his radio show, casually bombing Baghdad, Jeff Conway in Taxi (tv-series), the Saturday Night Live verion of 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, 

Technology callbacks: The Dig (videogame), a SFF convention gaming room having 3 Playstations and Sega Saturns strictly for competitive play,

Death notices: Terry Nation, UK television producer/showrunner. Martin Caidin, author and originator of the Six Million Dollar Man tv-series. Seth Goldberg, Hugo Awards administrator, SFF fandom bigwig.

SFL requests/discussion topics:

>Re: The Gap into Ruin -Donaldson

>Re: P.J. Farmer Riverworld series

>Re: Space Viking/H. Beam Piper

>Farnhams Freehold: Bizarro Heinlein?

>Re: L. Sprague deCamp influence on the SFF genres

>Re: Heinlein newbie - what next?

>Re: Julian May - IWADASN

>Re: Walter Jon Williams (was Re: REVIEW: "Rock of Ages")

>Re: Levar Burtons AFTERMATH

>Re: Is Poul Anderson still alive?

>Re: Known Space is out of control

>Re: Fire on the Deep, zones?

>Big Stupid Ring explosions in SF movies

>Re: Octavia Butler

>Re: Dune - how far do you go?

-More SFLers start chiming in on John Barnes increasingly overt tendency to write in extreme violence and violent sex in whatever story he writes

(2021 note: Seriously, it's became a fetish for John Barnes. The Bosnian-Serbian war of the 1990's really broke his brain.)

-First mention of the internet web search engine www.altavista.com

(2021 note: Altavista was one of the better internet/web crawling search engines on the Internet until Google stole their entire business model of selling ads in search/paid search rankings) 

-SFL people start discussing why Ray Bradbury is so disliked by hardcore SFF fandom. Was it his popularity & success writing outside the SFF genres, anger that Bradbury rose up to become a professional writer while a SFF while other aspiring authors SFF failed to rise up as well, that Bradbury didn't write science-fiction as per hardcore SFF fandom definition of science-fiction, that Bradbury didn't include nods to SFF fandom or other SFF authors in work like virtually every other SFF fan turned professional SFF writer, or that at as a young SFF fan at local/regional SFF fandom meetings Bradbury easily got bored and would give hotfoots at LASFS meetings?

(2021 note: Hardcore SFF fans in the SFL really tried to enforce the "Bradbury is disliked because he was a punk at SFF meetings growing up" narrative but their sheer anger at Bradbury makes it clear that hardcore SFF fandoms hatred of Bradbury boils down to Bradbury's popularity as a professional author in multiple literary genres burns them up hard because they-the-hardcore-SFF-fandom should have had his success not him.)

-A letter to the editor of the newspaper Washington Post complaining about the Washington Post downplaying Paul Linebarger's aka Cordwainer Smith's role in teaching pysops torture techniques during his tenure at the US School of Americas

(2021 note: Paul Linebarger was definitely CIA adjacent throughout his civil servant career with the US Government. And the US School of Americas is now called the The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation)

-The BAEN BOOKS official website gets mentioned again.

(2021 note: This is 1997 so mention of Internet websites existing is still new and rare)

-A SFLer brings up a valid critique of Gene Wolfe's Soldier of the Mist series: why was Latin being spoken by the narrator at the time of Xerxe's invasion of Greece? Latin as a language was extremely regional at that period.

-The STAR WARS SPECIAL EDITION remasters of the original Star Wars movies start hitting their release dates to the public. Fans mostly like the new content but aren't sure of certain additions. The HAN SHOT FIRST meme continues to build up steam.

(2021 note: The really weird thing to me is the SFL Archives concensus that Empire Strikes Back is the worst and weakest of the original Star Wars movie trilogy. Something about George Lucas's vision being diluted and the heroes not winning are the vibes SFLers are telegraphing when disussing why they feel Empire Strikes Back is the inferior movie.)

-Both a SPAWN movie and a SPAWN cartoon series are in the works in 1997.

-Someone describes the 1995 movie HACKERS in comparison to IRL Hackers/Hacker Culture as: "On the Sid and Nancy scale, "Hackers" is the Village People - after they went New Romantic."

-A new bunch of SFF adajacent tv-shows hit American network television: THE PRETENDER, THE PROFILER, SPY GAME 1997, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER etc. Special mention is made of THE PROFILER doing a cross-over episode with THE PRETENDER. SFLers like the BUFFY tv-series pilot but miss Donald Sutherland and Paul Reubens from the original movie version.

-Much SLIDERS the tv-series discussion. John Rhys-Davies leaving the show and the addition of Kari Wuhrer to the cast. The dumbing down of the story plots. The bad science causes much discussion which shockingly hasn't aged too badly. For someone who hates SLIDERS for denying George RR Martin of his own SFF tv-series, Gharlane of Eddore sure does religously hate watch SLIDERS...and he absolutely hates Kari Wuhrer acting/looks/body fat percentage/etc.

(2021 note: People on Something Awful forums book-barn subforum who interacted with Gharlane of Eddore back in the 1990's on usenet have fond memories of him. Me just knowing Gharlane from what he posts in the SFL Archives is where I heavily disagree with those people. Gharlane isn't that great, and giving off big proto-incel vibes anytime he talks about female actors and their acting/looks/movement.) 

-SFLers start tearing apart the extremely contrived setting/plot/technology/characters/motivations in James Halperin's THE TRUTH MACHINE.

-Terry Pratchett's FEET OF CLAY comes out, and a small portion if SFLers find it contrived and that it turns the Flanderization dial up on most of the established Watch characters.

(2021 note: I sort of agree with the SFLers seeing a decline in Pratchett's Discworld writing at this point in time. INTERESTING TIMES was the decline point for me.)

-Levar Burton's 1997 SFF novel AFTERMATH comes out and gets lots of closeted racists/C.H.U.D.'s/and "actually I have a black friend so I can't be racist" SFLer's to self-out themselves in seeing various things that exist/do not exist in Burton's 1997 book AFTERMATH.

-SFF authors start nakedly self promoting their work on SFL Archives again. 

(2021 note: The SFL mailing list moderator has a inconsistent stance on these kinds of posts. Yes, I am still kind of pissed that the SFL mailing list moderator banned the Del-Rey Internet newsletter from being reposted to the SFL Archives. The Del-Rey Internet newsletter was full of factual details of how a mid-sized book publisher operated in reality and was the single best thing/most interesting and anticipated read for me in the SFL Archives before it got banned.)

-Foundation and Empire being the red-haired unacknowledged book when Isaac Asimov's Foundation series gets republished by a new book publisher.

-In 1997 a good resource for writers of all kinds was the WRITERS DIGEST series.

-Sam Raimi's 1997 tv-series SPY GAME comes out and everything about it sounds unreal and a shared collective joke that I broke my do-not-look-things-mentioned-up-on-the-internet readthrough rule for the 11th and confirmed that: Yes, SPY GAMES 1997 was real.

(2021 note: To be fair to Sam Raimi, he has been attached to many bizarre sounding tv shows. CLEOPATRA 2525 for example, somehow CLEOPATRA 2525 existed for 2 seasons.)

-Tom Hanks the actor enters the producer "I've got fuck you money" stage of his professional career when he becomes the producer of the upcoming 12 part miniseries FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON  

-Warner Brothers announces they are working on a live-action JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA tv-series, which never gets past the pre-production stage.

-A extremely not-Mad SFLer posts a review of Lee Goldberg's satiric parody of the television industry and SFF fandom novel BEYOND THE BEYOND aka DEAD SPACE that is so long and meandering the SFL mailing list moderator has to break it up into 3 parts. SFL Posts having to be broken up into multiple parts has happened before, but those SFL posts usually involved talking about multiple subjects or things in the SFF genres.

(2021 note: The review of BEYOND THE BEYOND/DEAD SPACE gives off the same extremely hurt-feelings vibe/"how dare he have a career while I don't" vibes that Ray Bradbury invokes in hardcore SFF fandom. I solidly believe the author of the 3 part review spent 5 hours screaming this essay at top volume outside of whatever television production studio Lee Goldberg spends the most time at and also that the reviewer has at least 5 active "stay 100 feet away at all times" restraining orders versus various SFF authors and television production people. JMS for sure.)

-A SFLer relates a discussion they had with David Weber regarding the Honor Harrington series that includes lots of incoming spoilers and explanations for certain actions that I am not sure happened or not for real in the Honor Harrington series.

(2021 note: Stuff ranging from treecat intelligence, to various looming gambits, bonding and treecats, new spaceship technologies, and backstory Weber will be retconning into future HH stories.)

-Internet famous reviewer-savant Alan Sepinwall posts to the SFL Archives in 1997 strictly to negatively comment on Sam Raimi's SPY GAME tv-series premiere.

-The Kelsey Grammer/20,000 leagues under the sea bit from Saturday Night Live season 19 being a pedants delight in every shape and way.

-A SFLer reposts the highlights from a Armin Shimerman guest of honor appearance at SFF convention Vulkon 1997. Armin Shimerman  talked about various things DS9 and Star Trek related, both in-front of camera and BTS stuff that would be of deep retrospective interest to any fan of DS9.

-The SFL mailing list moderator promotes The Alexandria Digital Literature website, which comes off in 2021 as a very early version of the Good Reads book review/book recommendation website before it's buyout by Amazon.com

-One of the first mentions of the Internet Movie Database in the SFL Archives.

(2021 note: As I said earlier, mentions of websites was still new and rare in 1997. A website mentioned in 1997 still being around in 2021 is exponently more rare.)

-The author of BEYOND THE BEYOND/DEAD SPACE responds back to the reviewer who posted that so-long-it-had-to-broken-up-into-3-segments-for-inclusion-in-the-SFL-Archives negative review of the n BEYOND THE BEYOND stating that everyone in entertainment industry whose IRL names that got used in the book were clued-in by the author before publishing and gave their assent. 

SFL Archives Volume 21b readthrough

 SFL Archives Volume 21b

4.7 mb raw text file

100% completion, 385 bookmarks

Movies, television shows referenced: INDEPENDENCE DAY, RED DWARF (tv-series), POLTERGEIST THE LEGACY (tv-series), SLIDERS (tv-series), NEVERWHERE (tv-series), OUTER LIMITS (tv-series), PHENOMENON, THE NUTTY PROFESSOR 1996, OSIRIS CHRONICLES, BARB WIRE, MULTIPLICITY, THE FRIGHTENERS, ERASER, THE VISITORS, THE FIFTH ELEMENT, HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME 1996, DARK SKIES (tv-series), WARPED IN SPACE, SWAMP THING (tv-series), XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS, FOREVER KNIGHT (tv-series), HOMEBOYS FROM OUTER SPACE (tv-series), THE ARRIVAL, ESCAPE FROM L.A., ISLAND OF DR MOREAU 1996, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, THE REAL ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST (tv-series), BONE CHILLERS (tv-series), MR STITCH, SPACE JAM 1, LOST IN SPACE 1998, THE CAPE 1996 (tv-series), BOGUS, THE CROW 2, THE PRETENDER (tv-series), STAR TREK DEEP SPACE NINE (tv-series), BABYLON FIVE (tv-series), STAR TREK VOYAGER (tv-series), STAR TREK 30TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL, STAR TREK FIRST CONTACT, HIGHLANDER THE TV SERIES, THEM, EARLY EDITION (tv-series), PUMPKIN HEAD 2, MILLENNIUM (tv-series), X-FILES (tv-series), ADVENTURES OF SINBAD (tv-series), ALIEN NATION: THE ENEMY WITHIN, STARGATE SG-1 (tv-series), JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT (tv-series), CONTACT, STANLEY KUBRICKS A.I., ODYSSEY (tv-series), ASTEROID, MARS ATTACKS.

SF&F stories referenced: THE DRAGON AND THE UNICORN, TEHANU, WIND FROM A FOREIGN SKY, BLUE MARS, THE FIRE DUKE, MAGE HEART, OTHER DAYS OTHER EYES, SHAPECHANGERS WIFE, RESURRECTION MAN, RELUCTANT VOYAGERS, INFINITE JEST, BUTTERFLY KID, WAR OF THE WORLDS: GLOBAL DISPATCHES, TAMULI, THRESHOLD, GOSPEL OF CORAX, WAY STATION, ARTIFACT, WILD SEED, THE LONG HUNT, DUTCHMAN, ANVIL OF STARS, BRIGHTNESS REEF, FOREIGNER, THE WATERBORN, DRUM WARNING, HIGHER SPACE, RINGWORLD THRONE, AUTOMATED ALICE, RINGSTONES, LURE OF THE BASILISK, SHADE AND SHADOW, ENCOUNTER WITH TIBER, TREKS NOT TAKEN, SQUARES OF THE CITY, THE FORTUNATE FALL, FORTRESS IN THE EYE OF TIME, WHEN GRAVITY FAILS, THE DUBIOUS HILLS, CELESTIAL MATTERS, LIONS OF AL-RASSAN, WIZARD OF THE PIGEONS, MURDER IN THE SOLID STATE, CADRE LUCIFER, THE TEN TON SNAKES, PASSAGE TO DAWN, ZOD WALLOP, HOLY FIRE, CLOUDS END, RAPTOR RED, ONE FOR THE MORNING GLORY, STARTIDE RISING, THE KILLING GAME, THE SUN THE MOON AND THE STARS, PSALMS OF HEROD, GUARDIANS KEY, BOOK OF ENCHANTMENT, THE KILLING STAR, GOOD OMENS, THE TWO GEORGES, STONE AND FLUTE, HEADCRASH, DEAD GIRLS, ARMED MEMORY, SLOW RIVER, DAGGERSPELL, VIRTUAL DEATH, HAPPY POLICEMAN, THE BASTARD PRINCESS VOLUME 2, CAMELOT 30K, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, WINTER TALE, HUMPTY DUMPTY: AN OVAL, REIGNING CATS AND DOGS, DANCING VAC, EARTHFASTS, BIMBOS OF THE DEATH SUN, SILVERLOCK, THE INTEGRAL TREES, TERMINAL EXPERIMENT, CONVERGENCE, ARCHANGEL, 1945, PATTERN FOR CONQUEST, ETERNAL LIGHT, A BREACH IN THE WATERSHED, ISLAND IN THE SEA OF TIME, DRAKON, BLUE SHIFTING, IN CONQUEST BORN, FALLING ANGEL, STARPLEX, CHRONICLES OF HAWKLAN, THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER, TEN THOUSAND LIGHT YEARS FROM HOME, SHANGRI-LA: RETURN TO THE WORLD OF LOST HORIZON, THE RETURN, ONE MINDS EYE, LIVE FROM GOLGOTHA, THE WEIRD COLONIAL BOY, SHADOWS OF ECSTASY, GORGON CHILD, LEGACY, BEST OF JAMES BLISH, WITCHLIGHT, THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, DISTRESS, GLORY SEASON, WALKING THE LABYRINTH, IDORU, WAITING FOR THE GALACTIC BUS, DEATHSTALKER, THE TRUTH MACHINE, THE REALITY DISFUNCTION, QUIET POOLS, BESERKER, RAPTURE, THE WHENABOUTS OF BURR, THE FUTUROLOGICAL CONGRESS, A FIRE UPON THE DEEP, FREE LIVE FREE, FISHERMANS HOPE, GOLDEN WITCHBREED, TRAVELLING WITH THE DEAD, BLADERUNNER 2: THE END OF HUMAN, FAIRYLAND, SPARROW, NIGHT LAMP, GRUNTS, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, THE BAKERS BOY, THE LONG RUN, EMERALD EYES, THE LAST DANCER, GORMENGHAST, ECOTOPIA, CITY OF DIAMOND, TIMEMASTER, COYOTE BLUE, LOVE AND SLEEP, CHAIN OF ATTACK, GOJIRO, A WALK IN THE SUN, BLAMELESS IN ABADDON, HOGFATHER, CALLAHANS LEGACY, ALONGSIDE NIGHT, GANYMEDE CLUB, RISE OF ENDYMION, DIAMOND AGE, MAN WHO FOLDED HIMSELF, IMMORTAL ENGINES, VOYAGE, AGAINST A DARK BACKGROUND, INFINITYS SHORE, LAW OF BECOMING, NANOTECH CHRONICLES, THE BIG U, SNOW CRASH, PARIS IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, OTHERLAND, DEATH GATE, FEERSUM ENDJINN, SPOOKER, FACETS, MATHEMAGICS, QUICKER THAN THE EYE, THE HASHISH MAN, KEEPER OF THE KING, THE LAW OF LOVE, A GAME OF THRONES, A GAME OF UNIVERSE, ZOTHIQUE, EMPIRE OF THE PETAL THRONE, DEVILS TOWER, WORLDWAR: STRIKING THE BALANCE, MADOUC, EMPIRE OF THE ATOM, THE MOTION OF LIGHT AND WATER, CRYSTAL EXPRESS, GALACTIC GOURMET.

 Pop culture references: the GWAR concert at Dragon*Con 1996, Samurai Cat paintings by Mark Rogers, Ms. Magazine, Dilbert comic strip, Super Mario Bros, Choose Your Own Adventure books, DC COMICS Vermillion, EMPIRE OF THE PETAL THRONE (Tekumel rpg), Natalie Portman. 

Technology callbacks: WING COMMANDER 4, America Online's Hatrack, July 1996 Rutger University computer network re-org, ELF format, the SFL mailing list moderator going through another round of terrible outcome SF-LOVERS server system upgrades, the CGI in the 1996 movie MARS ATTACKS being cheaper than physical stop-animation puppetry work.

Death notices: Mark Lenard, SFF tv actor. Carl Sagan, American scientist.

SFL requests/discussion topics:

> Re: Lin Carter

> Dragon*Con '19...another successful year

> Re: Foundation series

> Re: Lin Carter

> Re: Van Vogt -spoilers

> Re: Michael Moorcock

> Re: Review RGB Mars (Kim Stanley Robinson MARS trilogy)

> Re: help Saberhagen vampire?

> Re: Illuminati series

> Re: Is Hubbard a respected author?

> Re: U. L. Le Guin, Earthsea stuff

> Re: George R R Marin - any good?

> Nine Princes in Amber influenced by Chandler?

> Re: Sherri S. Tepper and empathy

> Re: Captain Sulu in Voyager

> Re: Dick-Man in the High Castle

> Re: Sector General: what do the letters mean?

> Re: Robert Howard other heroes

> Anime Weekend Atlanta 96 Review

-Ben Aaronovitch, future author of the RIVERS OF LONDON urban fantasy series starts posting to the SFL Archives. Aaronovitch mostly comments on and picks apart things in CJ Cherryh's FOREIGNER series

(2021 note: Ironically, many of the complaints and issues 1996's Ben Aaronovitch is finding with the FOREIGNER series are present in Aaronovitch's RIVERS OF LONDON series)

-SFF Author Lawrence Watt Evans repeatedly tries dunking on/owning SFF fans with his insider knowledge, but fails to connect on any of his "ownage" attempts. SFF author Robert J Sawyer drops off the face of the SFL Archives after winning multiple SFF genre awards in 1996. SFF Jo Walton is becoming extremely fixated on the mil-scifi DRAKA series, especially the DRAKA elements about artificial childbirth/forced impregnation/mind control.

(2021 note: LWE stuff is funny, Jo Walton's fixation on DRAKA and it's many forms of non-consent is memorable for the out-of-nowhere-totally unprompted rant on childbirth/having children Jo Walton delivered to a in-progress SFL Archives discussion on how multiple SFF had independently started using artificial womb tech to avoid writing women characters/patch up plot holes a few SFL Archives Volumes ago)

-A SFLer marvels at how John Brunner incorporated elements of a world series chess match between Russian MI Tchigorin & American W Steinitz, and asks the SFL Archives if anyone has a full transcription of that chess game

(2021 note: Nobody publicly responded back to that SFLer. Mildly curious to see that chess game transcription too.)

-The SFF MAGEWORLDS series is notable mostly because it appears in retrospect to have been the alternate HEIRS TO THE EMPIRE choice if LUCASFILMS hadn't signed a multi-book contract with Timothy Zahn.

-A few SFLers are confused and slightly horny about the growing lesbian overtones in the SFF tv-series XENA WARRIOR PRINCESS

-BIMBOS OF THE DEATH SUN a SFF murder mystery story about SFF conventions gets mentioned again, and some SFLers are still very notMad about the contents in it. 

-A discussion of PKD's THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE that is so confusing and lit-crit filled I have no idea what anyone is talking about, even after 5+1 attempts at it.

-More SFLer's want to describe out the mechanics of lesbianism and homosexuality left unwritten in David Brins GLORY SEASON

-Much confusion about Ivy Press and who owns the reprinting rights to Jame's L Halperin's THE TRUTH MACHINE

(2021 note: This conversation is interesting because as of 1996 there was at least 3 registered & bonded book publishing brands with variations on the name "Ivy Press")

-Nobody can agree or figure out the ending of Gene Wolfe's first novel FREE LIVE FREE

-SFLers start discussing what Barrayar in Bujolds VORKOSIGIAN series is based on. Early consensus seemed to be Ruritania/PRISONER OF ZENDA before lit-crit SFLers started chiming in

-SFLers are unable to take anything in BABYLON 5 episode 'Grey 17 is Missing' seriously. From the gay bath-house vibes of the hidden males-only religious cult to everything involving Garibaldi and his standoff with the 'perfect predator'. SFLers feel 'Grey 17 is Missing' is one of the worse things J. Michael Straczynski has ever written.

(2021 note: SFLers of 1996 commenting on BABYLON 5 have fallen out of hero-worship mode with J. Michael Straczynski. Too many "well actually" explanations that JMS changed his mind on to retell & present himself in a better light and way too many JMS tantrums when SFLers predicted his plot twists and inspirational sources) 

-More Daniel Keys Moran stupidity. The lies and promised DKM made earlier have failed to play out, so DKM has issued new lies about his CONTINUING TIME stories that will fail to happen. SFLers who really enjoy THE LONG RUN form a DKM-DefenseSquad and start proclaiming how every detractors tune will change once the contract with Del Rey Books is finalized and signed, and two new CONTINUING TIME books drop within months next year.

(2021 note: Seeing a new DefenseSquad form up was amusing, more amusing was knowing it would take an additional 17+ years for DKM to eke out (in serialized form) the 2 CONTINUING TIME books he's being hyping since 1994.) 

-SFLers start publishing copyrighted reviews of STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT. tldr summary, most of them find it stupid as hell, worse than GENERATIONS so far, and find that the suddenly uncontrollable emotions chip in Data 110% gimps his character

-Another SF-LOVERS mailing list moderator mea-culpa trying to explain the latest round of week+ downtime of the SFL Archives mailing list. This time it's the mailing list moderator deciding to upgrade the data format used to store the SFL Archives, then finding out the new data format is NOT supported on the year+ old Linux Kernel the server uses, then the new kernel failing to detect the storage controllers holding the SFL Archives data disks, etc, etc etc.

-A 1996 SFLer asks the question "Who would pay for $5 for a 200 page novel?"

(2021 note: TOR Books currently charges $10-$12 for 170 page novellas)

-Alexei Panshin posts to the SFL Archives giving a very sanitized reason why he has written any new Anthony Villiers stories in 28+ years. Panshin notes that his contract with the publisher paid $1500 for the first edition printings, and then $3000 for the 2nd edition priting, and that he couldn't and still can't support his family on that kind of money. 

-EMPIRE OF THE PETAL THRONE (Tekumel rpg) & it's associated novels come up again in the SFL Archives. This time, SFLers note what Tekumel books and RPG sourcebooks are still in print, M.A.R. Barker's IRL profession and interests, and note the reason why M.A.R. Barker probably uses initials vs his full legal name.

-Harry Knowles review of MARS ATTACK includes the weird details of watching MARS ATTACKS on opening day while sitting next to a total stranger who really enjoyed MARS ATTACKS. And then after the movie was over, Harry Knowles leaving the theater with his family only to encounter that same stranger shot dead in the parking lot.

(2021 note: WTF?)

-Now that the original DOCTOR WHO (tv-series) has been safely dead and buried, Doctor Who actors like Lalla Ward feel safe enough to start relating details of how John Nathan-Turner was a terrible showrunner/executive producer. 

SFL Archives 1996: Otakon 1996 review

 ------------------------------

Date: Mon, 12 Aug 1996 02:31:14 -0400

From: smoon@clark.net (Sang J. Moon)

Reply-to: sf-lovers-misc@Rutgers.Edu

Subject: [CON] Otakon 96 Review

Otakon 96, My Perspective

by Sang J. Moon

   This is far from a complete review of Otakon 96.  This article contains

comments and opinions of events I personally saw.

   Otakon 96 was a very good convention for me because it was mostly

organized well, the anime shown in the video rooms were mostly ones I

haven't seen before, the main events were very enjoyable, and the dealers

offered some great deals.  For background information, Otakon 96 was held

on August 9th through 11th at the Hunt Valley Inn in Maryland.  The Hunt

Valley Inn was barely the right size for the number of people that attended

the con; however, there was not enough room in the main theater for all who

wished to see the Masquerade.  I can't give an accurate number of people

who attended the con, but I would approximate that there were about 500

people in the main theater during the Masquerade.  The male-female ratio

was surprisingly good (only about 5 to 1 :-)), and there were more than a

couple of families with children attending.  In terms of floor plan, Otakon

consisted of two dedicated anime video rooms, one live-action video room,

two panel rooms, the main theater, the dealers' room, the art room, the

video gaming room, workshop room, and open gaming room.  None of these were

overly crowded except for the main theater during the popular events.  The

main events I saw were the Masquerade, the dealers' room, the art show and

model competition, the music videos, and the first showing of the Tenchi

Muyo movie.  There was also the con suite, live action role playing,

karaoke and filk, game show, panels, workshops, and guests, but I did not

have time to attend these.  The guests of honor were Masaomi Kanzaki

(Xenon, etc.), Adam Warren (Dirty Pair comic book adaptation, etc.), Robert

DeJesus, Steve Bennett, C Sue Shambaugh, Jeff Thompson, Steve Pearl, Niel

Nadelman, John Staton, and Matt Lunsford.  The following is my account of

Otakon.

   In terms of organization, Otakon 96 was better than average compared to

the other cons I've attended.  Parking wasn't too bad.  The hotel was very

clean.  Registration could have been improved by having more than one

regular and one preregistration line, but luckily I was in the short

preregistration line.  Otakon should have advertised at least on their

World Wide Web homepage and flyers when registration starts on August 9th.

This was slightly annoying to me because I never received a preregistration

packet, I didn't get a response when I emailed them the question about when

registration and events start, and I assumed registration started at noon

and events started around 1pm (turned out that the video rooms started

showing at noon - missed Rose of Versailles :-().  The pocket program was

easy to read and contained all the information I wanted to know (events,

times, and map).  The main program guide was appropriate too in that it

contained the backgrounds of the guests, events, and all the anime and

live-action being shown.  All the events were relatively on schedule, but

the hotel imposed a curfew on all the rooms between 2am and 9am.  On the

whole, Otakon was easy for me because of the good organization of the staff

and probably also due to the relatively lower attendance and crowding

compared to other conventions I've attended.

   The anime video rooms were the places I spent most of my time, and I was

very happy with the selection available.  Otakon was not geared for the new

anime fan - many of the anime that hardcore fans are already familiar with

were not on the video room lists: Ranman 1/2, Uresei Yatsura, Project A-ko,

Macross Movie, Oh My Goddess, Bubblegum Crisis & Crash, Gundam 0080 & 0083,

Gall Force, Record of Lodoss Wars, etc.  Maybe future anime cons should

dedicate an extra video room for the new anime fans and show these

separately from the relatively newer or obscurer anime that the experienced

fans want to see.  The anime I saw were Assemble Insert (sillier and cuter

than usual comedy about a shy girl with super powers), The Samurai

(BWAHAHAHA - not for the maturity-challenged - some poor father brought his

very young son to watch this; he was spending a lot of the time covering

his son's eyes with his hand), Weathering Continent (a solid but sad

dungeons and dragons themed story), Miracle Girls (soap opera stuff except

the two main characters can teleport), Neon Genesis Evangelion (this is a

must-see), 3x3 Eyes II (great continuation of the 3x3 Eyes story, but

episode 3 is not out yet and the episode 2 cliffhanger makes you want to

know what happens next NOW!), Whisper of the Heart (this touching story of

ordinary people further confirms my belief that Hayao Miyazaki is the king

of anime), Escaflowne (another must-see that combines mecha and dungeons &

dragons), Video Girl Ai (romantic comedy that combines the love

complications of Kimagure Orange Road with the aiding "angel" concept of Oh

My Goddess), Pon Poko (bittersweet and strongly environmentally-minded

story of raccoons being pushed out by human expansion), Ghost in the Shell

(thought provoking Blade Runneresque story about what it means to be human

when you have nothing physical left of your human body - I thought the

movie was a little too obsessive about showing naked perfect female

bodies), Mobile Suit Gundam 8th Mobile Suit Team (standard complicated

Gundam fare about a hotshot Federation pilot during the Zion-Federation

war), Tenchi Muyo Movie: Tenchi in Love (I was expecting too much from this

- - the dialogue was slightly below average in content and quality and there

wasn't much of the character development that I liked in the series -

however the animation was excellent and Tenchi's mom was cool), Fam & Iri

(comedic dungeons & dragons themed anime about a female fighter-magic-user

and a female elf magic-user in search of treasure), Oz (the warlike nature

of man has expanded in the future and a madman and his artificially

intelligent androids attempt to take over the world or destroy it), and the

Daicon III & IV trailers (done by the guys who formed Gainax - extremely

good stuff considering they were just fans back then).  I also watched

Dragons Forever, a Jackie Chan movie about three martial arts friends

fighting a drug mob - I feel pain just watching them bash each other.

   The main events I saw were the music videos, the Masquerade, and the art

show.  The music videos were good as usual, and the winner was a video of

Ryoga from various Ranma 1/2 scenes done in good timing to the Proclaimers

song, "I Wanna Be".  It was very appropriate especially when they sang "I

would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more..." while Ryoga wandered.  I

thought a close contender was a video of various anime girls doing funny

things to the tune "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".  The Masquerade was

excellent as usual too.  The overall winner was a guy dressed exactly as

Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story (some people booed because Buzz Lightyear

wasn't anime, but the judges were the guests of honors and the quality of

the Buzz Lightyear was obviously the best).  The best performance went to a

guy dressed in a skintight costume as some anime male singer and he

actually flexed his stuff and sang a rock song in Japanese (girls were

screaming around me - don't know why :-)) The bravest person to come on

stage went to the person fully dressed in Valkyrie battloid costume that

looked like it was made from plywood (he had trouble climbing the small

steps going up to the stage).  The best craftsman award went to a guy

dressed as Tenchi in Jurai battle dress.  Two that stuck in my mind were

the group of people dressed as all the Dragonball Z characters and did a

skit where Mr. Satan beats everybody else by shear coincidence and a brave

girl dressed as Kei (from dirty pair) who actually ripped open her costume

halter top to the crowd (she had a bra on - don't think nasty thoughts

:-)).  The art work was good overall - more than a few of the female

figurines were very anatomically correct (defied gravity too) :-).  I

suggest people definitely see these events in future cons, but get in line

at least 30 minutes before the events like the Masquerade start.

   The dealers' room had an excellent selection.  They had more pure

Japanese merchandise than I've seen in other cons I've been to.  I

personally bought a T-shirt, a few graphics novels, and tapes (Nadia 1-8,

Phantom Quest Corp 1-2, Mermaid Forest, Please Save My Earth 1-2, and

You're Under Arrest 1-4) for an average price of $12 per tape.  Animeigo

was the predominant big name there.  Points of interest: Orion has started

rereleasing Nadia which it bought from Streamline - hopefully Orion will

expand their selection, Here is Greenwood 1-6 is coming out commercially

real soon, and Pandora's Box had the best deal of 50% off tape prices on

the last day.  I hope future cons can at least match this dealers' room.

   Other things of interest that occurred was the joint Maryland anime

clubs' party in the con suite on Saturday night and a theft.  The party was

okay.  There were chicken wings, cheeses, etc., but there wasn't anybody

with a strange personality who usually becomes the life of a party - I

guess anime fans in Maryland have a life and have better things to do than

get drunk :-).  There was a major theft in the hotel; someone had various

things (about $1200 worth) including a VCR stolen from their room.  Take

this as a lesson to keep your important stuff at home, on your body, or

secured in a con - don't leave it in your room.

   Overall, Otakon 96 was worth the price, and I look forward to it next

year - hopefully with a few improvements.

Sang J. Moon

smoon@clark.net

------------------------------