All posts by Carl V. Anderson

Art/Photography

The 2016 Chesley Awards

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(Image of the 2015 Chesley Award design by Joy Alyssa Day and B.E. Johnson)

Thursday, August 18th, 2016 saw the announcement of the 31st annual Chesley Awards, and I had the privilege of being there to see it happen live at the 74th WorldCon held in Kansas City, Missouri at MidAmeriCon II.

The Chesley Awards, named after famed artist Chelsey Bonestell, are bestowed annually by the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists, ASFA, to “recognize individual artistic works and achievements during a given year”.

I truly appreciate that these awards are focused solely on the artists and artistic works that bring so much beauty, inspiration, and imagination to the science fiction and fantasy community. I also welcome the fact that the short list in each of the art categories is comprised of specific works of art published in the previous year, rather than judging the artist’s overall body of work.

The unfortunate side of that method of artist recognition is that each category is filled with the kind of impressive artwork that makes you want to see everyone win. The 2016 nominees were no exception.

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Fantasy, Home, Short Stories

The Jewel and Her Lapidary ~Fran Wilde

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“To anyone who dreams about the layered histories of a familiar place, or an unfamiliar one, this is for you”
~Fran Wilde

Jewel Lin, daughter of the King of the valley, and her lapidary, Sima, awaken to find themselves imprisoned and the kingdom in madness-induced disarray. Lapidaries are bound to the gemstones that speak to them, gemstones with the power to both protect and enslave the kingdom. They are also oathbound to serve a Jewel, and lapidary Sima is ever faithful to the vows she made that now tie her to Jewel Lin.

Unprepared for the devastation in which they find themselves, the two must summon all their training, courage–and not a little bit of cleverness–to save the people of the valley who look to them for protection.

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Film

The Legend of Tarzan

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For the past 10 years, John Clayton has been living in England with his wife, Jane. He has left his beloved Congo and his more well-known identity, Tarzan, far behind. When rumors of a burgeoning slave trade are brought to his attention, John Clayton decides to accept the invitation of King Leopold to return to the place he once called home. Unbeknownst to him, John and his wife are being drawn into a well-orchestrated trap, motivated by the vengeful desires of an old enemy.

In order to preserve all that he holds dear, John Clayton, Lord Greystoke must once more become Tarzan.

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Book Reviews, Science Fiction

Star Trek: From History’s Shadow

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A longing for old friends, coupled with recent events at Kansas City’s Planet Comicon, and my anticipation for the upcoming film Star Trek Beyond, culminated in a non-stop read through the last 150 pages of Dayton Ward’ novel, Star Trek: From History’s Shadow. I had been enjoying spending time with Kirk and company, along with characters from the original series episode “Assignment: Earth”, in whatever stolen moments I could find to read over the last few weeks, but a last minute decision to start the long weekend early left me alone to immerse myself in the Star Trek universe and the results were immensely satisfying.

Dayton Ward, no stranger to penning new adventures for the beloved crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, embarked on what he called a “pet project” in the novel’s Acknowledgements, blending real history with Star Trek history in a way that grounds the novel for those of us familiar from childhood with Cold War era fears and the televised adventures that took place in the “final frontier”.

Star Trek: From History’s Shadow finds its setting in our real past and our imagined future, jumping through time in such a way that the story compels one to keep reading while at the same time avoiding any confusion that might occur with a book spanning over three centuries. This was my first experience with Dayton Ward’s solo Star Trek work, and I must say that I am pleased that there are more of his titles on my shelf awaiting discovery, including the just-released companion book, Elusive Salvation.

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Film

Brooklyn: A Film Review

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In searching the internet for recently released films to enjoy on a Friday night, I was pleased to come across the gem that is Brooklyn, a film based on a novel by author Colm Toibin, with screenplay by author Nick Hornby. Brooklyn was nominated for numerous awards, including numerous Academy Awards, BAFTA awards, a Screen Actor’s Guild award, a Golden Globe and more. Minutes into the film, it is easy to see why.

Brooklyn is a beautiful film with charming performances that enchants from beginning to end.

It was not its numerous accolades which brought the film to my attention, as I must admit to being wholly ignorant of its acclaim (including a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes) until after our viewing. It was this comment that led me to believe this was a film that my wife and I would enjoy:

“That’s what makes Brooklyn feel like such an anomaly: a well-crafted throwback to a different movie house age. It’s a cinematic construct that relishes taking long, easy moments to just study actress Saoirse Ronan’s serene face, watching her pale blue eyes say far more than a wordy, noisy script ever could.”

That passage, from a review by Bob Hoose, succinctly sums up what makes this story of a young immigrant women finding love and independence in America so notable: the skillful acting of Saoirse (pronounced Ser-Sha) Ronan.

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