Entries with tag "science_fiction"

I'm easily entertained, and so I probably don't make a very good writing critic. But sometimes you find an author that manages to consistently weave intriguing, thought-provoking narratives with believable characters, and tells you about those characters in a way that is itself entertaining. When you read such writers' work, it's immediately apparent that they are a "virtuoso", a class apart. Like a non-guitarist hearing Steve Vai play, you don't have to be aware of the technical details to be impressed by the performance.

Robert A. Heinlein is one of those writers. I read "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" several years ago, and liked it so much that I've reread it at least twice since then. I read Starship Troopers last year, which is almost entirely unrelated to the movie and is much better. Last week I picked up my third Heinlein book, "Stranger In A Strange Land", and as I'm working my way through it at a feverish pace I'm remembering once again what captivating stories he writes.

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I've never been very good at following that rule. Often, when I run out of things to read, I will walk into a bookstore and pick up a book that has an interesting cover and take it home. Surprisingly, it hasn't failed me yet.

Well, until now, that is.

For a few months now I've had one of these random purchases laying around. It's called Signals, by Kevin D. Randle. I finally gave it a try today, and man is it bad. The plot itself is kind of interesting, if somewhat cliché: SETI detects signals from some object fifty light years away and headed towards Earth, and the world rushes to figure out how to deal with the possibility of alien visitors.

But the writing. Oh, the writing. It sounds like the work of a ninth grader. I didn't get more than two pages into the book before deciding to write this entry.

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Well, that was a waste of an hour and a half. My plan was to go to the sci-fi convention today, camera firmly in hand, and take pictures of all the costumed nerds (OK, and probably enjoy myself a whole lot). I called the place it was at, Tropimar, to ask when it ended, and they said 8pm. Splendid. So around 4pm I headed off, but got stuck in traffic, which I keep forgetting to factor into my plans.

I finally got there around 5, but figured I still had three hours, which would likely be more than enough nerdage to satisfy me. However, as I pulled into the parking lot, the guy in line ahead of me was backing out, and the parking attendant told me that they had just closed. I asked if there was any other place to park and he said nope, not in the area. Excellent. So essentially I had to turn around and go home (and fight my way through the traffic again), having seen nothing but one slightly costumed nerd in a purple wig standing out by the curb. I didn't even get to hear the guy who played Chewbacca make that great "Awwwaararagggh" sound, as I'm sure someone would have asked him to do.

Haha, there's a sci-fi convention here on Sunday, and Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in the first three episodes of Star Wars (and is reprising the role in the upcoming Episode III) will be speaking. I'm tempted to go just for the hell of it :) I wonder if they will stage a reenactment. I sure hope they pick me. (mp3)