I find myself a bit unhappy about a bookseller I've been buying from ever since they first came to Michigan back in the Late Pleistocene or some junk. It appears that Barnes and Noble has laid off all of the freelance writers that work on their blogs. I'm a bit unhappy here since I am, personally, a freelance book blogger.
Now listen: I don't write for Barnes and Noble. I never have.The economic cost of this to me personally is going to be zero dollars and zero cents over the next infinity years. That's not what this is about. I mean, I know other people got paid to write for them. I don't know how much they made or how this is going to effect their bottom line. I wish them well and I hope they do well in their post Barnes and Noble career, but that's not what this is about, either.
No, this is a post about something that I'm a big believer in. This is a post about the voice of the fans. Yes, I'm a fan. Yes, I have a voice and I express it right here on this website. Thank you Blogspot for the opportunity. I'll admit that right off rip. The fact remains that if you think I have as big a voice on Jimbo's as I would have on Barnes and Noble, you're fooling yourself. And yes, I said yourself because you're not fooling me. I know better.
I have had authors (David Guenther comes to mind.) contact me after I've published a review and tell me that they experienced a sales bump. I'm pretty proud of that, because I've reviewed some really awesome authors and I've helped some fans get the SF/F fix. That's what I'm all about. But a site like bn.com gets millions of hits a day and that I can't compete with. I hope I'm not disillusioning anyone by saying that.
I don't read Barnes and Noble blogs as much as I probably should given the fact that I have a blog myself, but I have read them in the past and they're uniformly well written and informative. There are times when I may not agree with some of the opinions of the person who wrote the piece, but so what? If I find myself disagreeing, I'm more than capable of firing off a response right here at Jimbo's. I do feel bad that they've lost their jobs though, and here's something else to consider:
The last line or so of the piece states that, " The company will continue to have blogs, but “they will be blogs that express opinions of booksellers.”" I respect that. Booksellers have a right to voice their opinions too. I have no problem with them having a blog or nine million putting out what they want us to hear. (And make no mistake about it, whatever your affiliation, if someone is putting out content they're telling you what they think you should know. Yes, that includes li'l ol' me.) So you know what, whether it's Barnes and Noble as an institution or individual publishers or authors giving their point of view (and all of the above sell books) I think that's awesome. Seriously. Do your thing. Market your product. Let us know what we should buy and why we should buy it. I'm good with that.
Now, before I make my next point, I want to be careful. I'm friend with some publishers and authors on Facebook. Some of them I consider to be just as much friends as the people I see and talk to in real life. I have a lot of respect for both the art and craft of both publishing and writing and I want to make that clear. What I'm about to say should be common sense on one hand and on the other hand, it's easy to misinterpret. So straight up guys, you get much love from Jimbo.
But...
I'm not really all that interested in what a publisher thinks when I'm deciding whether or not to buy a book. Authors, I love you, but I know you're not going to call your own baby ugly. I'm not stupid. Seriously. When I'm considering trying a new author (and I don't really need a blog to tell me I should read a book written by an author I'm already a fan of) I want to hear another fan's opinion. Why? Because they'll tell me what they really think. A bookselling company, or a publisher, or an author is going to tell me to buy their book. It's natural. They're trying to promote their product.
*SIGH*
Yes I see you with your hand raised in the back of the class. What's up? Yes, I do get free copies of books so that I will review them. Yup, that sure is a form of marketing. Here's the difference:
I'm going to give you my personal opinion. I'm not going to sugar coat a book that sucks. I'm not going to hold back on a book that kicks ass either. I'll give you the straight goods and I'm proud to do so.
So, while Barnes and Noble Certainly does have the right to make this move, it's going to cost them some trust I think. I know I won't trust their content as much as I used to. I would think that most thinking people won't either.
Ultimately though, who you trust is your decision to make and not mine. As my father would say though, "When evaluating information, always consider the source." When the source of your information is someone who wants to sell you something, remember that. They're not giving you an unvarnished opinion. They're pushing you to give them your money.
I'm not hating. I've worked in sales and it's a tough job. Monthly goals, high pressure and long days were the result of having to get people to buy things so that I could make my living. I'm just urging you that, before your take what you read on Barnes and Noble seriously, you seek a separate opinion. Find someone who has read what you were thinking about buying and see what they think.
Oh, and click one of the links below and go buy stuff so that I can get paid. (See what I did there?):
Showing posts with label Fandom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fandom. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Saturday, August 10, 2019
My Dragon Awards Ballot
So why did I vote how I voted?
I thought you'd never ask!
Best SF Novel: A Star Wheeled Sky by Brad Torgersen Awesome book. I feel bad about not reviewing it,but I only have so much time and I have to sleep sometime.
Best Fantasy Novel: House of Assassins by Larry Correia: One of a very few fantasy novels set outside of a pseudo-European setting and a whole lot of fun. Sorry I didn't review this one as well. I love Larry Correia, but I didn't really think he needed the help.
Best YA SF/F Novel: (or something similar. I cut off the title, but these are all YA books) I hadn't read any of them. I can't vote in a category where I haven't read any of them.
Best Military Science Fiction or Fantasy Novel: Uncompromising Honor by David Weber I'm a little bitter here. Uncompromising Honor was my pick for Best SF novel. It should be in the bigger category. Having said as much, if it's the Best SF novel in my opinion, it's definitely better than any Mil SF titles I've read this year. See my review here.
Best Alternate History Novel: The World Asunder by Kacey Ezell This was my nominee. It's freaking awesome. It features a massively important part of history that is awesome ignored. It's entertaining as hell. It made me spit Mountain Dew all over my phone (I read it on Kindle). BUY THIS BOOK. READ THIS BOOK. VOTE FOR THIS BOOK. Do it all after you read my review though. It's posted here.
Best Media Tie in Novel: The Replicant War by Chris Kennedy. Awesome book. I didn't realize that this was actually a media tie in, but whatever. It rocks.
Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie: Avengers: Endgame. The feels man, the feels!
Best Science Fiction or Fantasy PC/Console Game: World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth. I haven't been playing since my guild server shifted and I didn't have the money to follow, but this game is awesome, especially once you get past the fact that the pyramid the real players use as their home city (IE the Horde) is a pyramid that's hard to navigate.
Best Horror Novel: Zombie Airman by David Guenther: Lots of cool characters. Lots of good action scenes. I loved this book. See my review here.
Best Comic Book/Graphic Novel: I didn't vote Apparently, I need to get updated on my comics. Nothing I read this year was eligible for comics and the graphic novel I nominated didn't make the ballot. *SIGH* I'll get to work.
Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series: Good Omens I haven't read the book, but something about an angel and a devil working together to bring about the apocalypse just tickles my fantasy. Crowley is an amazing character and Azriphael is a delightfully naive individual.
Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game/Miniatures Game/Cell Phone App: (or something similar. I hacked off a title again.) I didn't vote. I didn't play any of these games.
I don't want to make one of the books that I voted for look bad, but I'll state here for the record that I'm bitter that one of my nominees, which was the best book in its category that I've ever read hands down, didn't make the ballot. If the author is out there reading this: I tried bro. I really did. Maybe next year?
*SIGH*
It happens. I should be used to it by now. I supposed I'll get over myself eventually.
So tell me what you think. What did I get right? What did I get wrong? Why are you throwing tomatoes at me? There is plenty of room for comments below.
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
What Makes Us, Us
(Author's note: I'd give credit to whoever created the meme if I had any clue who they were. I have not done any research to confirm the veracity of the quote, but I like it.)
So just today a momentous occasion of huge import occurred. It will change my life forever, or at least the next few days. No, I'm not getting married. No, I haven't reproduced again. That book contract I've always dreamed of? No, but I might have more luck with that if I actually finished one of my projects. Nope, no new job. Nope, not moving in, out or around. This event though, it was truly Earth shattering. Watch out underwater subduction zones, because this one is a doozie. What happened? What could possibly produce such an outpouring of emotion from a guy like me? What has me so worked up that I feel the need to write about it at two -freaking- thirty in the morning? (Granted, I probably won't post this till tomorrow, but it's legitimately almost two thirty.)
Would you like to know what it is? I'll tell you. I won't even make you guess like a certain sadistic twelve year old does.
Ready?
The new season of The Walking Dead came to Netflix. Well, actually it's the old season, but I haven't been able to see it because of circumstances only somewhat within my control. So now I get to spend a few days (actually probably about a week with my work schedule) not sleeping so that I can watch this totally awesome, if somewhat formulaic, show. And believe me, the big bad this season is the Best Villain EV-AR. I'm so geeked. Get it? Geeked?
See, as much as I'd like to think that my readers are all as cool as the Fonz, they're more probably a lot like me: Not as cool. Perhaps a bit introverted. Not the kind of person that just relaxes when their favorite thing shows up all over again. We're committed (or possibly should be). We're awesome. We're people who love what we love and don't care who knows it. We're geeks. We're nerds. We're the Fandom of Science Fiction and Fantasy in all of its forms and we rock.
We're so cool we could freeze a penguins belly feathers. We love our hobbies with the passionate fire of a million suns. Some of us aren't as supportive of the hobbies of others as we should be (insert "sports-ball" references here) but we love what we love and we wish you did too.
Seriously. On February 15, 2015, I did my first post here at Jimbo's. I had three goals:
1.) Geek out about all of my favorite stuff
2.) Get Free Books
3.) Make Money
I'll admit that I haven't done so well with that last goal, but nobody's perfect. And hey, monetization tips are welcome. I keep doing this anyway because I love talking about what I love and what I love is books and I've gotten a bunch of those. That's not totally true. I love all things Science Fictional and I love to talk about that as well, so it's not just books.
I'm not saying you have to have a blog to be a geek or a nerd, etc. A lot of people like the same types of things we do and they're not going to take the time and effort away from other things in their life to spray words all over a computer screen. If that's their take, I support it. Do you people. That doesn't mean they won't talk about it though. If you don't believe me, go to a con.
I'm not an avid con goer because of my financial situation, but I have been to a couple. Actually one, but I've been there in two separate years, so that's two cons. It's not that expensive if you go to a local one so you don't have travel expenses. Day passes are cheap as well. Just to and enjoy. You know what you'll find? People just like you.
What? You've never been in an area where everyone gets the joke? Have you never seen a girl who looked to be five or six years old walk up to the guy next to you and pull on his shirt asking, "Are you a brony?" I don't know who was more excited. (Yes, it really was the guy next to me. No, I'm not a brony. I need more explosions than the ponies provide and the World's Most Awesome GF (TM) has enough pony love for the two of us.) I had never heard of Doctor Who until I went to my first con and stood in awe, gawking at a life-sized Dalek, complete with plunger arm and had someone explain it to me. I guess I looked as confused as I felt. The thing is, the people that helped me out were having the time of their lives. Especially since they said, "It's from Doctor Who." and I said, "Who?" It made their freaking day.
(Yes, I know who Doctor Who is now. I'm still learning about the show though because they took the razzle-frazzin' thing off of Netflix two days after I found out it was there. It's on Prime now though. I'm two whole episodes into whatever season came up first. It's the one with that one guy playing the doctor and the really hot love interest chick. Except I didn't call her hot. Seriously. I LOVE YOU STEPH!!! I'm not in trouble am I?)
For the record, yes it is okay to geek out in excitement over your lover too.
So be not afraid to let your geek flag fly. Lemme see you in your Star Wars T-shirt or your Tardis dress. Come to the con dressed as a Draenei. Walk around saying "Exterminate, exterminate." Get your Spock ears. Make your life sized replica of the Stargate. Float like a leaf on the wind. Cry over the death of Sturm Brightblade. Pass me a tissue on that one. While you're at it, roll some oddly shaped dice and pass me a Mountain Dew. Rock a power ring like it's nobody's business because it's not. Oh, and hand me a green one. I'm old school. You're enjoying yourself and you're not hurting anybody. Let the next generation know. One of the happiest moments of my life was when my daughter did a guest post. It doesn't get much better folks. Try it some time. Enjoy your hobby and enjoy each other because we are - we really are - the only ones who get it.
Some links to purchase some of my favorite stuff are included below.
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
A Suggestion for the Dragon Awards
Listen, I'm a lover of the Dragon Awards. As the only award truly given by the fandom, I think they're both important and interesting, not to mention fun. So under no circumstances should this post be misconstrued as a nerd rage or anything. I really appreciate what the Dragons do for Science Fiction and Fantasy in all of its forms. I mean seriously, who else gives awards for SF/F card and board games? I started this blog with the premise that the Science Fiction community needs to open the umbrella and let more people and their hobbies in. The Dragon Awards have done exactly what I asked for and they've done a better job at my mission than I have. It sucks to admit that to myself, but it's true.
So no, I'm not here to lambaste a group that doesn't deserve it. I do, however, think that maybe, just possibly, the World's Most Awesome Awards could possibly open itself up to just one more category. It encompasses a group of people who labor away talking about what they love and spreading the word, often with zero compensation. I'm talking about people who spend their time promoting many of the same works that get nominated and win Dragon Awards. I'm talking about people like me.
I'm talking about people who have fan sites. Seriously. I hear you laughing out there, but think about it. The Dragon Awards are a celebration of Science Fiction and Fantasy. They are the expression of love from a fandom that is at times contentious, but is united in its love of all thing Science Fictional. I think it's time to bring attention to those who bring attention to the super talented authors and game designers, movie directors, etc. that the Dragons have.
No, I'm not going to lie to you. I really would love to win a Dragon someday. I'm also not delusional. There are many sites out there with a much bigger following than mine. I might, if I'm lucky and/or my girlfriend is feeling generous that day, receive one mention on a nomination ballot. This isn't about me.
I'm not trying to take away from the amount of work it takes to write a one hundred thousand word novel. I'm not trying to denigrate people who direct movies with huge casts and crews that probably number in the hundreds or the writers who work just as hard as novelists to get their stories on paper. I'm just saying that those of us who own and maintain websites work hard too.
Just the other day I was freaking out about ever completing a novel. I mean, fifty or sixty thousand words is a lot, right? Sort of. My favorite publishing house is Baen and they require a minimum of one hundred thousand words. Good gosh, golly-gee, how could I ever write a hundred thousand words?
Then, I thought about it. This is my one hundred and sixty-sixth post. After my first few posts, I was told that it was better for Seach Engine Optimization purposes if I did posts that were at least one thousand words long. I've written to at least that length ever since. Some are like ten words over and others are over twice that. Out of one hundred and sixty-six posts, I'm guessing (and I'm too lazy to count) that there are at least one hundred and seventy five thousand words contained within this blog. That's a lot. I'm not scared to write a novel anymore. I haven't exactly finished one either, but nobody's perfect.
And that's just the amount of work that I've put into this blog. There are much larger sites that put a lot more work in than I do. I post a couple of times a month. I'm at forty-nine posts for the year and I'm on pace to write more posts in one calendar year than I ever have before. There are sites out there with multiple contributors posting daily. They're the people telling people about these books, movies and games. They're putting in their blood sweat and tears too. I'm just thinking they might deserve a little recognition as well.
Now, to be fair, I might limit it to people who don't have works eligible in other categories. I'm a huge fan of both Sarah Hoyt and Larry Correia. I buy their books. I read their books. I've reviewed them both here. I go to their blogs. The fact remains that, were it up to me, I'd make their blogs ineligible for a Best Fan Site Dragon. I wouldn't allow sites like Baen.com or Tor.com to compete in this category either. Ditto the official Blizzard forums for games like WoW or Hearthstone, etc. Make this an award for the fans.
I'm not saying to rule out all professionals though. I mean, IO9 pays its writers and I'd be perfectly okay with them competing. I'm just saying that we need to keep this to people who write about science fiction and fantasy instead of people who write science fiction and fantasy. It should be about those of us who ordinarily wouldn't get the accolades. Seriously folks, this is one for the people.
I hate to do this, but I have to give the Hugos props here. They have a “Best Related Work” category. Now, I wouldn't do it the same way they do. I know of SF authors who have been nominated for Best Related Work. I know that the Hugos in general are controlled by one small group of nominators who get their own elected every year. I'm not asking to have the award (if it ever happens) limited to one person who sits at the right table at the awards banquet every year.I just think we should be part of the discussion.
The Dragon Awards are given at DragonCon every year. DragonCon is, at the end of the day, about connecting the fans with the content creators and having a good time doing it. When the rubber meets the road though, the people carrying the load and doing our best to promote the hobby are the people out there, like me, who write about it. How about a little love for us too?
Some links to DragonCon related products are listed below:
So no, I'm not here to lambaste a group that doesn't deserve it. I do, however, think that maybe, just possibly, the World's Most Awesome Awards could possibly open itself up to just one more category. It encompasses a group of people who labor away talking about what they love and spreading the word, often with zero compensation. I'm talking about people who spend their time promoting many of the same works that get nominated and win Dragon Awards. I'm talking about people like me.
I'm talking about people who have fan sites. Seriously. I hear you laughing out there, but think about it. The Dragon Awards are a celebration of Science Fiction and Fantasy. They are the expression of love from a fandom that is at times contentious, but is united in its love of all thing Science Fictional. I think it's time to bring attention to those who bring attention to the super talented authors and game designers, movie directors, etc. that the Dragons have.
No, I'm not going to lie to you. I really would love to win a Dragon someday. I'm also not delusional. There are many sites out there with a much bigger following than mine. I might, if I'm lucky and/or my girlfriend is feeling generous that day, receive one mention on a nomination ballot. This isn't about me.
I'm not trying to take away from the amount of work it takes to write a one hundred thousand word novel. I'm not trying to denigrate people who direct movies with huge casts and crews that probably number in the hundreds or the writers who work just as hard as novelists to get their stories on paper. I'm just saying that those of us who own and maintain websites work hard too.
Just the other day I was freaking out about ever completing a novel. I mean, fifty or sixty thousand words is a lot, right? Sort of. My favorite publishing house is Baen and they require a minimum of one hundred thousand words. Good gosh, golly-gee, how could I ever write a hundred thousand words?
Then, I thought about it. This is my one hundred and sixty-sixth post. After my first few posts, I was told that it was better for Seach Engine Optimization purposes if I did posts that were at least one thousand words long. I've written to at least that length ever since. Some are like ten words over and others are over twice that. Out of one hundred and sixty-six posts, I'm guessing (and I'm too lazy to count) that there are at least one hundred and seventy five thousand words contained within this blog. That's a lot. I'm not scared to write a novel anymore. I haven't exactly finished one either, but nobody's perfect.
And that's just the amount of work that I've put into this blog. There are much larger sites that put a lot more work in than I do. I post a couple of times a month. I'm at forty-nine posts for the year and I'm on pace to write more posts in one calendar year than I ever have before. There are sites out there with multiple contributors posting daily. They're the people telling people about these books, movies and games. They're putting in their blood sweat and tears too. I'm just thinking they might deserve a little recognition as well.
Now, to be fair, I might limit it to people who don't have works eligible in other categories. I'm a huge fan of both Sarah Hoyt and Larry Correia. I buy their books. I read their books. I've reviewed them both here. I go to their blogs. The fact remains that, were it up to me, I'd make their blogs ineligible for a Best Fan Site Dragon. I wouldn't allow sites like Baen.com or Tor.com to compete in this category either. Ditto the official Blizzard forums for games like WoW or Hearthstone, etc. Make this an award for the fans.
I'm not saying to rule out all professionals though. I mean, IO9 pays its writers and I'd be perfectly okay with them competing. I'm just saying that we need to keep this to people who write about science fiction and fantasy instead of people who write science fiction and fantasy. It should be about those of us who ordinarily wouldn't get the accolades. Seriously folks, this is one for the people.
I hate to do this, but I have to give the Hugos props here. They have a “Best Related Work” category. Now, I wouldn't do it the same way they do. I know of SF authors who have been nominated for Best Related Work. I know that the Hugos in general are controlled by one small group of nominators who get their own elected every year. I'm not asking to have the award (if it ever happens) limited to one person who sits at the right table at the awards banquet every year.I just think we should be part of the discussion.
The Dragon Awards are given at DragonCon every year. DragonCon is, at the end of the day, about connecting the fans with the content creators and having a good time doing it. When the rubber meets the road though, the people carrying the load and doing our best to promote the hobby are the people out there, like me, who write about it. How about a little love for us too?
Some links to DragonCon related products are listed below:
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Don't Make Me Use My Dad Voice
There are two types of Science Fiction and Fantasy fans in the world:
1.) Those who acknowledge both new and old works as being relevant to the genre.
2.) Those who are wrong.
Yep. That completes the list. That's everybody. I don't know where you fall into the list, dear reader, but you're on there somewhere. I don't get why anyone would denigrate either, but there it is.
Some readers are never going to like certain authors. That's the way it should be. The fact remains that not liking an author doesn't make them irrelevant to the genre.
This rant started because of things I've read recently after seeing them linked on Facebook. I can't seem to find them. One had an explicit statement that anything published more than fifteen years ago is no longer relevant. I believe that it was written by a young person. I understand the hubris of youth and the belief that history started the day that person was born, but no it didn't actually happen that way.
Everything in SF/F builds on what has come before. The roots of modern fantasy go back at least as far as The Epic of Gilgamesh. (And possibly farther. Since it's the oldest known written document it's hard to say for sure but that's the way I'd bet.) Science Fiction goes back to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Everything in either genre derives from those two works in some way, shape or form. Everything. ALL OF IT.
Now don't get me wrong. Lots of work is still happening in both genres and it's all relevant too. Harry Potter is a bit older now, but it has legions of fans. The boom in Young Adult literature (much of which kicks ass) is attributable directly to J.K. Rowling. Authors like Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins and Rick Riordan have all benefited from the popularity of someone else's series. (Please understand that I'm not demeaning any of the above. Their work is awesome. I'm just stating that Harry Potter created a market for them to get the recognition they deserve.) This is a good thing for SF/F and those individual authors alike. It's also good for a guy like me, who likes a good story regardless.
Speaking of the Hunger Games trilogy and the Divergent series, I'll offer dystopic science fiction as a case in point. Darren Allen has an excellent post on this very subject here. I won't go into the types of dystopias he has mentioned. He does a terrific job of that himself. My point is the relevance. Those older works are relevant based on the influence they still have on work today.
The relevance of the more modern work is probably more evident to a younger person. The wave of modern day dystopic fiction probably started with the success (and yes, that's key) of The Hunger Games. The books and the movies related to Suzanne Collins work is long and becoming longer. She re-popularized the sub-genre and sent it higher in popularity than anyone who came before her. She deserves a ton of credit. The fact remains that her work built on a foundation established decades earlier. It's all relevant.
The same can be said of works like The Time Machine and Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. The Time Machine opened another entire sub-genre of SF/F: that of time travel. Journey to the Center of The Earth introduced science fiction to the ancient concept of the fantastic journey. Seriously, every SF work that contains space travel owes a debt to Jules Verne. Every episode of Star Trek, every Star Wars movie, every Green Lantern comic book and all the rest can trace their roots back here, with an assist to the French silent film A Trip to the Moon.
So go ahead and play Halo. Enjoy it. It's relevant to a new generation of fans. Just don't think you invented the space travel or power armor. Power armor has been around since at least the debut of Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. It's awesome. It's fun. It's just not original. But relevant? Oh hell yeah. Have you seen the hype this game generates? Have you watched the movies or read the novels? (No, I haven't read the novels but if anyone wants to let me know where to start, I'm there. The influence of this video game on an entire generation of fandom is immense.)
Oh, and since I'm rocking out with my dad voice...
There has been a movement recently to add more women into SF/F circles. This in and of itself is a good thing. What is not good is the bullshit people are peddling when they try to highlight their cause. Are you paying attention here people? I have a statement to make:
Weyr Search” by Anne McCaffrey [Analog Oct 1967] Best Novella 1968
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin [Ace, 1969] best novel 1970
The Word for World is Forest” by Ursula K. Le Guin [Again, Dangerous Visions, 1972] best novella 1973
“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin [New Dimensions #3, 1973] best short 1974
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin [Harper & Row, 1974] Best Novel 1975
Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm [Harper & Row, 1976] Best Novel 1977
Eyes of Amber” by Joan D. Vinge [Analog Jun 1977] best Novelette 1978
Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre [Houghton Mifflin, 1978] Best Novel 1979
There have been others since, but I've got to work in a bit so that's as far as I took it. Also, I didn't look into the retro awards, so there may have been some there. To be fair, there may not have been as well.
And let's not forget that Mary Shelley was the FOUNDING AUTHOR of Science Fiction. The technology in the work may appear dated to modern eyes, but the book was first published in 1818. No, that's not a typo. Next year is the two-hundredth anniversary of the first published Science Fiction work. It is also the two-hundred anniversary of the publication of the first ever Science Fiction story written by a woman. A woman who has at least three separate awards named after her. Seriously. Please, people learn something about a genre before you bash it. Check your fucking assumptions and do some god damned research before you start spouting horse manure. Really. The amount of books, movies and toys that come from Shelley's work is beyond my ability to calculate.
Some works mentioned above are available at the links below:
1.) Those who acknowledge both new and old works as being relevant to the genre.
2.) Those who are wrong.
Yep. That completes the list. That's everybody. I don't know where you fall into the list, dear reader, but you're on there somewhere. I don't get why anyone would denigrate either, but there it is.
Some readers are never going to like certain authors. That's the way it should be. The fact remains that not liking an author doesn't make them irrelevant to the genre.
This rant started because of things I've read recently after seeing them linked on Facebook. I can't seem to find them. One had an explicit statement that anything published more than fifteen years ago is no longer relevant. I believe that it was written by a young person. I understand the hubris of youth and the belief that history started the day that person was born, but no it didn't actually happen that way.
Everything in SF/F builds on what has come before. The roots of modern fantasy go back at least as far as The Epic of Gilgamesh. (And possibly farther. Since it's the oldest known written document it's hard to say for sure but that's the way I'd bet.) Science Fiction goes back to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Everything in either genre derives from those two works in some way, shape or form. Everything. ALL OF IT.
Now don't get me wrong. Lots of work is still happening in both genres and it's all relevant too. Harry Potter is a bit older now, but it has legions of fans. The boom in Young Adult literature (much of which kicks ass) is attributable directly to J.K. Rowling. Authors like Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins and Rick Riordan have all benefited from the popularity of someone else's series. (Please understand that I'm not demeaning any of the above. Their work is awesome. I'm just stating that Harry Potter created a market for them to get the recognition they deserve.) This is a good thing for SF/F and those individual authors alike. It's also good for a guy like me, who likes a good story regardless.
Speaking of the Hunger Games trilogy and the Divergent series, I'll offer dystopic science fiction as a case in point. Darren Allen has an excellent post on this very subject here. I won't go into the types of dystopias he has mentioned. He does a terrific job of that himself. My point is the relevance. Those older works are relevant based on the influence they still have on work today.
The relevance of the more modern work is probably more evident to a younger person. The wave of modern day dystopic fiction probably started with the success (and yes, that's key) of The Hunger Games. The books and the movies related to Suzanne Collins work is long and becoming longer. She re-popularized the sub-genre and sent it higher in popularity than anyone who came before her. She deserves a ton of credit. The fact remains that her work built on a foundation established decades earlier. It's all relevant.
The same can be said of works like The Time Machine and Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne. The Time Machine opened another entire sub-genre of SF/F: that of time travel. Journey to the Center of The Earth introduced science fiction to the ancient concept of the fantastic journey. Seriously, every SF work that contains space travel owes a debt to Jules Verne. Every episode of Star Trek, every Star Wars movie, every Green Lantern comic book and all the rest can trace their roots back here, with an assist to the French silent film A Trip to the Moon.
So go ahead and play Halo. Enjoy it. It's relevant to a new generation of fans. Just don't think you invented the space travel or power armor. Power armor has been around since at least the debut of Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein. It's awesome. It's fun. It's just not original. But relevant? Oh hell yeah. Have you seen the hype this game generates? Have you watched the movies or read the novels? (No, I haven't read the novels but if anyone wants to let me know where to start, I'm there. The influence of this video game on an entire generation of fandom is immense.)
Oh, and since I'm rocking out with my dad voice...
There has been a movement recently to add more women into SF/F circles. This in and of itself is a good thing. What is not good is the bullshit people are peddling when they try to highlight their cause. Are you paying attention here people? I have a statement to make:
If someone tells you that women have historically been ignored or pushed aside in SF/F they are either a liar or an idiot.
As a matter of fact, if they're dumb enough to believe that anyone who knows anything about the genre is ignorant enough to believe their bullshit they're probably both. I spent five minutes on the Hugo Awards list site compiling the following list of Hugo Awards won by women before 1980:
Weyr Search” by Anne McCaffrey [Analog Oct 1967] Best Novella 1968
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin [Ace, 1969] best novel 1970
The Word for World is Forest” by Ursula K. Le Guin [Again, Dangerous Visions, 1972] best novella 1973
“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin [New Dimensions #3, 1973] best short 1974
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin [Harper & Row, 1974] Best Novel 1975
Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm [Harper & Row, 1976] Best Novel 1977
Eyes of Amber” by Joan D. Vinge [Analog Jun 1977] best Novelette 1978
Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre [Houghton Mifflin, 1978] Best Novel 1979
There have been others since, but I've got to work in a bit so that's as far as I took it. Also, I didn't look into the retro awards, so there may have been some there. To be fair, there may not have been as well.
And let's not forget that Mary Shelley was the FOUNDING AUTHOR of Science Fiction. The technology in the work may appear dated to modern eyes, but the book was first published in 1818. No, that's not a typo. Next year is the two-hundredth anniversary of the first published Science Fiction work. It is also the two-hundred anniversary of the publication of the first ever Science Fiction story written by a woman. A woman who has at least three separate awards named after her. Seriously. Please, people learn something about a genre before you bash it. Check your fucking assumptions and do some god damned research before you start spouting horse manure. Really. The amount of books, movies and toys that come from Shelley's work is beyond my ability to calculate.
Some works mentioned above are available at the links below:
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Down With the Old (Awards) and In With the New
Fans of the blog (both of you but I wuvs you both) will note that I have in the past commented on the Hugo Awards/Sad Puppy controversy. For those that have not, I support the Sad Puppy side because I believe that Science Fiction and Fantasy awards are a field that should not be dominated by a cabal of geriatric liberals. I honestly believe that a guy like me who has attended a WorldCon and honestly feels that he would be immediately asked to leave the premises should he ever go to one (I'm an open conservative) can be a fan. I further believe that WorldCon is not truly a fan convention at all, being primarily attended by people who work in the industry. I'm sorry folks, but fans are people from outside the industry who enjoy the product. Writers, publishers, artists, actors, etc, are insiders not fans. Hugo voters are primarily industry insiders in their sixties and seventies who don't want young whippersnappers such as myself (I'll be forty in December) attending their convention and ruining their good time. (Their loss. I know where to get good deals on Geritol and Efferdent.) My girlfriend will be attending MidAmeriCon this year. She's only thirty-six. I wish her luck.
Furthermore, I've often wondered when the old blue hairs who run and attend WorldCons will acknowledge that people under retirement age actually do consume and enjoy Science Fiction and Fantasy. The edgy, new-fangled Hugo category for youngsters is "Best Graphic Story." Guess what guys? Superman debuted in 1938. He may actually be older than one or two of you antiques that want to keep us young'uns out. Not only that, but there were actually comic books before that. There is nothing new or interesting about adding comics (I'm sorry, "Graphic Stories") as a category.
No, the Hugos have not shown any interest in attracting younger voters. Youngsters (a term I use loosely here, meaning basically forty-five and younger. IE Not necessarily in diapers but younger than the average Hugo voter) grew up playing video games. There are people in their twenties now who don't remember a time before Harry Potter. A quick Amazon search for "Young Adult Science Fiction" in "Books" turns up 44, 529 hits. Science Fiction and Fantasy Role Playing Games have existed since the 1970s. Card games like Magic, YuGiOh and Pokemon have flourished for over twenty years now. None of these have been acknowledged by elitist oldsters of WorldCon. But there's good news: Another organization will soon be issuing awards in the ares of Science Fiction and Fantasy on an annual basis and they're actually offering categories inclusive of the under seventy crowd.
Yes, my friends, the Dragon Award is a reality. Check it out at their website. Oddly enough you don't even have to pay in the new, inclusive system. It's almost like DragonCon is a big enough concern that they can afford to pay for their con based on the people who attend it instead of providing an atmosphere solely for aging relics on fixed incomes. It's a weird concept to some I will admit. Allowing the great unwashed to vote based on their love of the genre instead of limiting the franchise to people who pay to be part of the club is sure to offend those who have so zealously defended the gates against outsiders who haven't come to their meetings every year since 1939.
Check out the categories they're offering:
To being with, there is quite apparently a lot of overlap with the current Hugo setup. "Best Comic Book" and "Best Graphic Novel" sound a lot like "Best Graphic Story." "Best Episode in a Continuing Science Fiction or Fantasy Series, TV or Internet" sounds like a much longer way to say "Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form)." "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie" sounds about the same vis a vis "Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form)." There is still a "Best Science Fiction Novel." Speaking of the awards for novels that's where one of the big changes occurs and it's one that I have mixed feelings about.
Best novel still exists but has been broken up a bit for those fans who prefer to read in particular subgenres. This works for me because it gives more books a chance to win and not just because there are more awards. Many fans prefer to read only in a particular favorite subgenre or two (I'm big on Alt-hist and military SF personally) and a lot of them are going to have a chance to see one of their favorite books of the year nominated when they may not have otherwise. Seriously, I'm a huge Harry Turtledove fanboy. (If I ever meet you in person and you want to know how that happened buy me a glass of single malt and listen to my story. I may get a bit maudlin but it's worth your time.) I'd love to see one of his alt-hist works nominated.
Here's the thing though: For me, the Hugo for Best Novel will always be the WorldCon equivalent to the Oscar for Best Picture. I mean, I guess the award for Best Science Fiction novel covers that, sort of but I don't know if it goes far enough with the rest of the categories getting awards as well. I guess what I'm saying is that my spoiled ass wants to have my cake and eat it too. I guess I'll live. I may very well pout about it though.
What I really like though is something I alluded to earlier: This really is a ballot that offers options to those of us who were born after 1960. Pong was released by Atari in 1972. Pac Man was released in 1980. Games like Space Invaders (1978) and Galaga (1981) have been carrying the Science Fiction banner in the gaming world for over thirty-five years. Yet the Hugos, which claim to be an award for all Science Fiction fans, have never given an award for Best Video Game. I played Magic: The Gathering when it first came out in 1993. Spellfire: Master the Magic (the Dungeons and Dragons game) came not much later. I'm not sure when Munchkin was first released (it won an award in 2001 so presumably then or earlier) but it's crazy popular and has been translated into fifteen languages. The Hugos have never acknowledged games that are not only frequently SF themed, but are wildly popular with the SF loving crowd.The Dungeons and Dragons Basic Set debuted in 1977. The vast majority of role playing games since then have featured SF/F themes. It's about damn time we see some awards for that. I'm an old school Battletech fan. It's been around for over thirty years now. So have only God knows how many other SF/F board games (Anybody remember Hero Quest? I wish I still had my copy.) It's well past time they were recognized as part of the genre. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone will be celebrating its twentieth anniversary next year. It's awesome to see the huge wave of Young Adult fiction it promoted and its young fans finally being acknowledged.
Now, I'm not saying that this is a perfect set up. I'd love to see a specific category added for Media tie-in novels. Games like Halo and Dungeons & Dragons have a rich literature attached to them. I have no idea precisely how many Star Trek novels have been written but probably not as many as in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. There are enough new entries every year with a big enough following that I'd love to see a special category for them. I'd also like to see a category similar to the "Best Related Work" Hugo. I believe that *AHEM* people who write about the genre deserve some recognition too. (For the record, no I don't think I'd win one if it did exist. I'd still like a chance to cheer for someone LIKE me.)
I also wonder if the Dragon Awards will be promoted well enough to draw in a truly representative crowd. As much as the old blue hairs want to paint their genre as dying without them that's simply not true. Science Fiction and Fantasy are growing. They're just not willing to admit that the SF/F genre is no longer limited to the way that they're used to consuming it.
Speaking of Munchkin, I have a question: If a game releases an expansion (whether it's the latest edition of Munchkin or Magic or even World of Warcraft) is that eligible? Or is it only original games? And what about when the next Halo hits? I'll be honest. I didn't read the FAQ and these answers might be there but for the moment I'm confused. At the end of the day though, at least I get to ask the questions. That's more than I could ever do with the Hugos.
All in all, I really think that this is a good thing. The WorldCon crew and their move to lock everyone out via E Pluribus Hugo is a clear indication that they're not willing to listen to anyone's opinions but their own. That's fine. Those of us who aren't part of the clique now have a place to call our own and this doesn't mean we have to give up our attempts to reform your award into something that includes other viewpoints. It's a good day for the Pups, the Fans and SF/F in general. I'll take it.
Various DragonCon related items are available at the links below:
Furthermore, I've often wondered when the old blue hairs who run and attend WorldCons will acknowledge that people under retirement age actually do consume and enjoy Science Fiction and Fantasy. The edgy, new-fangled Hugo category for youngsters is "Best Graphic Story." Guess what guys? Superman debuted in 1938. He may actually be older than one or two of you antiques that want to keep us young'uns out. Not only that, but there were actually comic books before that. There is nothing new or interesting about adding comics (I'm sorry, "Graphic Stories") as a category.
No, the Hugos have not shown any interest in attracting younger voters. Youngsters (a term I use loosely here, meaning basically forty-five and younger. IE Not necessarily in diapers but younger than the average Hugo voter) grew up playing video games. There are people in their twenties now who don't remember a time before Harry Potter. A quick Amazon search for "Young Adult Science Fiction" in "Books" turns up 44, 529 hits. Science Fiction and Fantasy Role Playing Games have existed since the 1970s. Card games like Magic, YuGiOh and Pokemon have flourished for over twenty years now. None of these have been acknowledged by elitist oldsters of WorldCon. But there's good news: Another organization will soon be issuing awards in the ares of Science Fiction and Fantasy on an annual basis and they're actually offering categories inclusive of the under seventy crowd.
Yes, my friends, the Dragon Award is a reality. Check it out at their website. Oddly enough you don't even have to pay in the new, inclusive system. It's almost like DragonCon is a big enough concern that they can afford to pay for their con based on the people who attend it instead of providing an atmosphere solely for aging relics on fixed incomes. It's a weird concept to some I will admit. Allowing the great unwashed to vote based on their love of the genre instead of limiting the franchise to people who pay to be part of the club is sure to offend those who have so zealously defended the gates against outsiders who haven't come to their meetings every year since 1939.
Check out the categories they're offering:
- Best science fiction novel
- Best fantasy novel (including paranormal)
- Best young adult/middle grade novel
- Best military science fiction or fantasy novel
- Best alternate history novel
- Best apocalyptic novel
- Best horror novel
- Best comic book
- Best graphic novel
- Best episode in a continuing science fiction or fantasy series, TV or internet
- Best science fiction or fantasy movie
- Best science fiction or fantasy PC / console game
- Best science fiction or fantasy mobile game
- Best science fiction or fantasy board game
- Best science fiction or fantasy miniatures / collectable card / role-playing game
To being with, there is quite apparently a lot of overlap with the current Hugo setup. "Best Comic Book" and "Best Graphic Novel" sound a lot like "Best Graphic Story." "Best Episode in a Continuing Science Fiction or Fantasy Series, TV or Internet" sounds like a much longer way to say "Best Dramatic Presentation (Short Form)." "Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Movie" sounds about the same vis a vis "Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form)." There is still a "Best Science Fiction Novel." Speaking of the awards for novels that's where one of the big changes occurs and it's one that I have mixed feelings about.
Best novel still exists but has been broken up a bit for those fans who prefer to read in particular subgenres. This works for me because it gives more books a chance to win and not just because there are more awards. Many fans prefer to read only in a particular favorite subgenre or two (I'm big on Alt-hist and military SF personally) and a lot of them are going to have a chance to see one of their favorite books of the year nominated when they may not have otherwise. Seriously, I'm a huge Harry Turtledove fanboy. (If I ever meet you in person and you want to know how that happened buy me a glass of single malt and listen to my story. I may get a bit maudlin but it's worth your time.) I'd love to see one of his alt-hist works nominated.
Here's the thing though: For me, the Hugo for Best Novel will always be the WorldCon equivalent to the Oscar for Best Picture. I mean, I guess the award for Best Science Fiction novel covers that, sort of but I don't know if it goes far enough with the rest of the categories getting awards as well. I guess what I'm saying is that my spoiled ass wants to have my cake and eat it too. I guess I'll live. I may very well pout about it though.
What I really like though is something I alluded to earlier: This really is a ballot that offers options to those of us who were born after 1960. Pong was released by Atari in 1972. Pac Man was released in 1980. Games like Space Invaders (1978) and Galaga (1981) have been carrying the Science Fiction banner in the gaming world for over thirty-five years. Yet the Hugos, which claim to be an award for all Science Fiction fans, have never given an award for Best Video Game. I played Magic: The Gathering when it first came out in 1993. Spellfire: Master the Magic (the Dungeons and Dragons game) came not much later. I'm not sure when Munchkin was first released (it won an award in 2001 so presumably then or earlier) but it's crazy popular and has been translated into fifteen languages. The Hugos have never acknowledged games that are not only frequently SF themed, but are wildly popular with the SF loving crowd.The Dungeons and Dragons Basic Set debuted in 1977. The vast majority of role playing games since then have featured SF/F themes. It's about damn time we see some awards for that. I'm an old school Battletech fan. It's been around for over thirty years now. So have only God knows how many other SF/F board games (Anybody remember Hero Quest? I wish I still had my copy.) It's well past time they were recognized as part of the genre. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone will be celebrating its twentieth anniversary next year. It's awesome to see the huge wave of Young Adult fiction it promoted and its young fans finally being acknowledged.
Now, I'm not saying that this is a perfect set up. I'd love to see a specific category added for Media tie-in novels. Games like Halo and Dungeons & Dragons have a rich literature attached to them. I have no idea precisely how many Star Trek novels have been written but probably not as many as in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. There are enough new entries every year with a big enough following that I'd love to see a special category for them. I'd also like to see a category similar to the "Best Related Work" Hugo. I believe that *AHEM* people who write about the genre deserve some recognition too. (For the record, no I don't think I'd win one if it did exist. I'd still like a chance to cheer for someone LIKE me.)
I also wonder if the Dragon Awards will be promoted well enough to draw in a truly representative crowd. As much as the old blue hairs want to paint their genre as dying without them that's simply not true. Science Fiction and Fantasy are growing. They're just not willing to admit that the SF/F genre is no longer limited to the way that they're used to consuming it.
Speaking of Munchkin, I have a question: If a game releases an expansion (whether it's the latest edition of Munchkin or Magic or even World of Warcraft) is that eligible? Or is it only original games? And what about when the next Halo hits? I'll be honest. I didn't read the FAQ and these answers might be there but for the moment I'm confused. At the end of the day though, at least I get to ask the questions. That's more than I could ever do with the Hugos.
All in all, I really think that this is a good thing. The WorldCon crew and their move to lock everyone out via E Pluribus Hugo is a clear indication that they're not willing to listen to anyone's opinions but their own. That's fine. Those of us who aren't part of the clique now have a place to call our own and this doesn't mean we have to give up our attempts to reform your award into something that includes other viewpoints. It's a good day for the Pups, the Fans and SF/F in general. I'll take it.
Various DragonCon related items are available at the links below:
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