"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known."
-Carl Sagan, Cosmos
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Currently Reading: True Grit
I'm currently reading True Grit by Charles Portis.
That may seem like it is out of left field, given my ongoing predisposition towards science fiction in general, and Philip K. Dick in particular. But I also realized a long time ago that nothing exists in a vacuum, and what is hot in film and television definitely influences what I read. On the other hand, I wish I could get all that time back I wasted as a 20-year old reading Star Trek novels, which, let's face it, are pretty much on par with fan fic. (Not that there's anything wrong with that if that's what you like. It's just my regret, and my interpretation.)
For the record, I haven't read that many westerns. I did read Lonesome Dove in college, and that is one hell of a read. I highly recommend it. As for the sequels, I read the first one, it didn't really do anything for me, and I haven't gone back to that well since. I think I would like to read Riders of the Purple Sage someday. And I have The Oxbow Incident on order. I saw the movie once twenty years ago and it was pretty good.
Also for the record, my preferred genres include, in no particular order, science fiction, science, fiction/literature, history and spy fi. I just thought I'd throw that out there.
What do you like to read? Let me know in the comments.
That may seem like it is out of left field, given my ongoing predisposition towards science fiction in general, and Philip K. Dick in particular. But I also realized a long time ago that nothing exists in a vacuum, and what is hot in film and television definitely influences what I read. On the other hand, I wish I could get all that time back I wasted as a 20-year old reading Star Trek novels, which, let's face it, are pretty much on par with fan fic. (Not that there's anything wrong with that if that's what you like. It's just my regret, and my interpretation.)
For the record, I haven't read that many westerns. I did read Lonesome Dove in college, and that is one hell of a read. I highly recommend it. As for the sequels, I read the first one, it didn't really do anything for me, and I haven't gone back to that well since. I think I would like to read Riders of the Purple Sage someday. And I have The Oxbow Incident on order. I saw the movie once twenty years ago and it was pretty good.
Also for the record, my preferred genres include, in no particular order, science fiction, science, fiction/literature, history and spy fi. I just thought I'd throw that out there.
What do you like to read? Let me know in the comments.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Modern Times
Anyone who loves science fiction, classic film, or science fiction films owes it to themselves to watch this 3 1/2 minute short by Scottish art director Ben Craig.
MODERN TIMES from BC2010 on Vimeo.
If that doesn't make you smile just a little, something is wrong with you.
Now, if only that other film Modern Timeswould go back in print...
MODERN TIMES from BC2010 on Vimeo.
If that doesn't make you smile just a little, something is wrong with you.
Now, if only that other film Modern Times
(It was OOP just a few weeks ago. I placed my order tonight. So sue me!)
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Electric Ant
Well, it is finally January, and I still can't decide what it is I want to read. I've been reading The Stand, and I'm on pace for January with this epic read. Since I finished How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe I've bounced around trying to decide what I want to invest my time in next. I've read parts of Galactic Pot Healer, Transition, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, but nothing seems to hold my interest. And time is running short, the busy season at work is almost upon us, so I don't have a lot of time to invest; ergo I guess it's time to implement my "one short story a week" strategy.
I received The Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick for Xmas, so I read "The Electric Ant."
Garson Poole is the protagonist; he just lost his hand in a hovercar accident. He wakes up in the hospital to find out that he can't be treated there, because he's not human at all: he's a robot. And hospitals are for people, not robots, so he moves on to a robot repair shop. Garson winds up being billed for his treatment at the hospital for the time up until they realized he was a robot; just a funny little detail I liked.
What happens when an android changes his programming, especially in regards to how he perceives his own reality? I won't go into detail in my review here; suffice it to say, I had been looking forward to reading this story for a long, long time, and it more than exceeded my expectations. PKD manages to push all of my favorite PKD buttons in a story just 10 pages long or so: robots who don't know they're robots; identity crisis; paranoia; altered reality; twist ending.
Highly recommended.
Check back at the Reader next week when I review another short story. I don't know which one yet, but I'm going to try to (a) read one per week; (b) never read stories in any two consecutive weeks by the same author; and (c) try not to repeat authors within six weeks of a story by the same author.
Now go read something for yourself today!
rr
I received The Selected Stories of Philip K. Dick for Xmas, so I read "The Electric Ant."
Take out his spare ribs for $100.
Garson Poole is the protagonist; he just lost his hand in a hovercar accident. He wakes up in the hospital to find out that he can't be treated there, because he's not human at all: he's a robot. And hospitals are for people, not robots, so he moves on to a robot repair shop. Garson winds up being billed for his treatment at the hospital for the time up until they realized he was a robot; just a funny little detail I liked.
What happens when an android changes his programming, especially in regards to how he perceives his own reality? I won't go into detail in my review here; suffice it to say, I had been looking forward to reading this story for a long, long time, and it more than exceeded my expectations. PKD manages to push all of my favorite PKD buttons in a story just 10 pages long or so: robots who don't know they're robots; identity crisis; paranoia; altered reality; twist ending.
Highly recommended.
Check back at the Reader next week when I review another short story. I don't know which one yet, but I'm going to try to (a) read one per week; (b) never read stories in any two consecutive weeks by the same author; and (c) try not to repeat authors within six weeks of a story by the same author.
Now go read something for yourself today!
rr
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