SFL Archives Volume 21b readthrough

 SFL Archives Volume 21b

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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.