All posts by Carl V. Anderson

Challenges

The Sci Fi Experience 2011

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(Cygnus, image by Les Edwards, used with permission)

    For my part I know nothing with any certainty,
    but the sight of the stars makes me dream.
    ~Vincent Van Gogh
    “Science Fiction as a genre and the art of reading have been inextricably linked together as far back as my earliest solo reading memories. It is a bond that the passage of time and my own growth as a reader has not severed. In fact it is quite the opposite. As my length of days stretch out before me I find the ties to my own past growing ever more strong and ever more important.”
    ~Carl V. Anderson, December 2008

There are any number of myths perpetuated both inside of and outside of the literary world in regards to Science Fiction: the genre is no longer relevant, science fiction novels lack strong characterization, science fiction appeals only to adolescent males (and overweight, mom’s-basement-dwelling males who have never grown up), all science fiction is about spaceships and laser guns, science fiction is filled with confusing concepts for non-science geeks, science fiction is not “literature”…need I continue?

The biggest problem with misconceptions such as these is that there is enough truth to all these myths that it becomes common practice to accept them as truths. Additionally some science fiction fans, like myself, will readily admit to liking a variety of science fiction novels that could easily be held up as poster children for those very myths. If one is honest, however, I believe the same can be said about any “genre”, including what the elite would call “literature”.

Several years ago I decided to host a non-“challenge” reading event entitled “The Sci Fi Experience”, with the emphasis squarely on the word “experience”.

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Home

Happy New Year

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And with that we bid a fond farewell to 2010. A new decade begins. It hardly seems like a decade could have passed since the big Year 2000 panic. It has been quite the decade of growth in my personal and professional life. I continue to grow in my interests and passions, which is something I am very thankful for and take for granted far too often.

In past New Year’s Day posts I have discussed the phenomenon of an arbitrary day, a marking on a calendar, and how it can have such a profound affect on us, if we allow it to. What is really and truly just another passing day comes with its very own built in excuse to do a little self-examination, a little-reflection, and a little planning for what might lie ahead.

I am not a big goal setter by nature. I have made “resolutions” in past years and had great success in fulfilling some of them, no success in fulfilling others, and other times I have resolved nothing in particular…and I have been 100% successful in accomplishing that! 😉 So I enter 2011 with the knowledge that, at age 42, I am not yet an old dog (though I sometimes feel like one) who cannot teach himself new tricks. I know from personal experience and the study of others that there is great value in setting goals, but only for things a person truly wants to accomplish. While these need not be set in stone, subject to extreme self-loathing if they are not accomplished, they can be made firm enough to give a foundation and some accountability.

To that end I am going to resolve a few things for 2011.

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book news, Film News, Gaming

The Best: 2010 in Review

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(Image found here)

“For those of us who take pleasure in the art of reading, a new year opens up endless possibilities. Where will our reading journeys take us? I, for one, positively quiver with excitement thinking about it. As I start a new year, I have all sorts of ideas and plans about what I am going to try to read, which new authors I may finally sample, which books I have planned to read year after year that I might just get to this year. I make all manner of secret reading promises to myself, some that I keep, others that get usurped by wild whims and literary desires. In the end it is just one more reason that reading is one of the best things about being alive.”

The new year began with those words…then I blinked, and 2010 was over. Well, in many ways it certainly feels like that, in other ways it was a long year. Economic woes, employment challenges, health issues and an uncertain political climate, among other things, either touched us directly in our personal lives or indirectly in the lives of family and friends. In the midst of both chaos and contentment I took comfort and pleasure in the written word.

And with that thought in mind I will join the others who like to look back on a literary year with my 2010 Year In Review.

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Book Reviews, Science Fiction

Hull Zero Three ~Greg Bear

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Hull Zero Three ~Greg Bear

–published 2010
–Orbit
–307 pages
–4.5/5 stars

Imagine you were selected as one of Earth’s elect, chosen to travel light years beyond our galaxy aboard a sleeper ship during which time you are engaged in something called the Dreamtime, where you learn, grow, and form relationships meant to help you in your role of rebuilding humanity on a new world. Now imagine that you have finally arrived. You “wake up”, excited and anxious and ready for your new adventure. You see your chosen partner in real life for the first time and your adrenaline starts flowing. You will soon discover when you are to depart for your new life. All is right with the world.

Now imagine that you truly wake up–it is freezing cold, you are pulled, naked and befuddled, from a watery cocoon by what appears to be a young girl who tells you that you must run. RUN NOW or DIE!

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book news

An Embarrassment of Riches

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(Image borrowed from this site)

I owe many people ‘thanks’, and need to confess my sins.

It should come as no secret that book bloggers love to discuss books. One of the things that has come into fashion over the past few years (once affectionately known as ‘book pron’) is to share the swag that comes to us via mail order, gifts, review copies, or moments where we succumb to temptation in new and used book shops. In my experience this ritual is not done to boast, but simply to share our love of reading and also give a shout out to say, “Hey, you might want to pick this up too!”. Book, music and film companies have to love us–Free Advertising! 🙂

I preface this post with that explanation/disclaimer because from my November 21st birthday up through Christmas (and post-Christmas shopping), I have come into an embarrassment of riches in the way of books, music, dvds and games. Having opened the door on my willingness to get used and discounted items, especially from my wife for Christmas, I find myself being very blessed indeed. Add to that a bunch of bookstore gift cards from lovely people, gift cards that I got from bookstores because of purchasing gift cards for others, and for signing up for Membership cards, and money from my parents and in a short span of time, it feels like I have acquired more than I had all year up to this point. I also want to do this by way of additional thanks to everyone who was so generous this year.

And now, THE LOOT!!!

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