The GMG SF/Fantasy/Horror Club

[snyprrr]

Is this the Thread for 'Sword & Sandel' movies?? Anyone?

http://www.coolasscinema.com/2009/12/26-best-sword-sandal-adventures.html

[Beorn]

Is this the Thread for 'Sword & Sandel' movies?? Anyone?

http://www.coolasscinema.com/2009/12/26-best-sword-sandal-adventures.html

Cool link, homey.

[Fëanor]

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/389

So I read Arthur Machen's gothic novella, The Great God Pan.  It was a charming read but by no means as shocking to me as apparently it was to Machen's earlier readers.  Machen's story milieu is the late 19th century English upper middle class which he evokes effectively (if not necessarily accurately) in aid of the story; a parallel is H.P. Lovecraft's evocation of early 20th century rural Massachusetts and old Boston.

Withal the story is rather predictable and it's denouement neither surprising nor not all shocking to modern sensibilities.  A comparison with Gene Wolfe was implied, but comparison is invidious:  Machen might try to shock, (which Wolfe generally does not), he doesn't achieve Wolffe's sense of strangeness and enigma nor subtlety of plot. It's hard to imagine Machen sustaining story line through four volumes as Wolfe does in the Book of the New Sun plus the quadrilogy's sequel Urth of the New Sun.

[Beorn]

So I read Arthur Machen's gothic novella, The Great God Pan.  It was a charming read but by no means as shocking to me as apparently it was to Machen's earlier readers.  Machen's story milieu is the late 19th century English upper middle class which he evokes effectively (if not necessarily accurately) in aid of the story; a parallel is H.P. Lovecraft's evocation of early 20th century rural Massachusetts and old Boston.

Withal the story is rather predictable and it's denouement neither surprising nor not all shocking to modern sensibilities.  A comparison with Gene Wolfe was implied, but comparison is invidious:  Machen might try to shock, (which Wolfe generally does not), he doesn't achieve Wolffe's sense of strangeness and enigma nor subtlety of plot. It's hard to imagine Machen sustaining story line through four volumes as Wolfe does in the Book of the New Sun plus the quadrilogy's sequel Urth of the New Sun

Yeah, I wouldn't compare the two authors at all. Jack Vance and Wolfe, yes.

[Fëanor]

Yeah, I wouldn't compare the two authors {Machen/Wolfe} at all. Jack Vance and Wolfe, yes.

Jack Vance, yes perhaps.  Boy! Vance is ancient history for me; it's probably been almost 40 years since I read anything of his, and only one or two books.  I'm pretty sure one was The Dying Earth which I certainly enjoyed very much as I recall.

[Beorn]

Jack Vance, yes perhaps.  Boy! Vance is ancient history for me; it's probably been almost 40 years since I read anything of his, and only one or two books.  I'm pretty sure one was The Dying Earth which I certainly enjoyed very much as I recall.

And of course The Dying Earth was a major influence on Wolfe's Book of the New Sun.

[Fëanor]

And of course {Vance's} The Dying Earth was a major influence on Wolfe's Book of the New Sun.

Yes, true, no doubt.

Another author who can sustain a sense of strangeness and enigma is Brian Aldiss.  I really enjoyed his Helliconia Trilogy back when  it was first published in the early '80s. I've thought of rereading it but nowadays I have eye problems that restrict my reading to couple of hours a day or less, so I have to be very selective about what I read.

[Szykneij]

I drove my wife into downtown Boston for an interview, so while she took care of business, I poked around a great used book store on Milk Street and grabbed this one to pass some time on a Faneuil Hall park bench. I picked it up because it looked like a quick read, was small enough to fit in my pocket, and was on the $1.00 bargain table. (Maybe the cover art was responsible for catching my eye, initially.)



At any rate, I wasn't familiar with Michael Frayn, so it turned out to be a nice discovery. I used to read a lot of science fiction, but haven't done so in a long time. This has whetted my interest to get back into the genre.

[Beorn]

I drove my wife into downtown Boston for an interview, so while she took care of business, I poked around a great used book store on Milk Street and grabbed this one to pass some time on a Faneuil Hall park bench. I picked it up because it looked like a quick read, was small enough to fit in my pocket, and was on the $1.00 bargain table. (Maybe the cover art was responsible for catching my eye, initially.)



At any rate, I wasn't familiar with Michael Frayn, so it turned out to be a nice discovery. I used to read a lot of science fiction, but haven't done so in a long time. This has whetted my interest to get back into the genre.

I love to hear stories like this.

[Karl Henning]

I walk by that shop all the time, Tony, but it's some little while since I actually walked in.

[Karl Henning]

That cover looks to sort nicely with the opening line in Brazil . . . "I want to talk to you about ducts . . . ."

[Szykneij]

I walk by that shop all the time, Tony, but it's some little while since I actually walked in.

I was very excited to find it. Almost all the used book shops outside of downtown have closed down.

[Szykneij]

That cover looks to sort nicely with the opening line in Brazil . . . "I want to talk to you about ducts . . . ."

The Frayn novel was written in 1968. I find it amazing how prophetic some of these authors were.

I remember reading "1984" in junior high school and thinking to myself how ridiculous it was to think there could be cameras all over the place monitoring your every move. Orwell was off by 30 years or so, but now it's nearly impossible to go shopping or out to eat without leaving a visual record of your trip.

Locally, the Aaron Hernandez murder trial is of great interest. The authorities were able to trace his entire trip on the night in question from North Attleboro, Massachusetts (near Rhode Island) to Boston and back thanks to various surveillance cameras and cell tower information.

[mn dave]

Anyone else reading the new Stephen King?

Anyone else watching horror movies this month?

[Brahmsian]

Anyone else reading the new Stephen King?

Anyone else watching horror movies this month?

Hi Dave, is that new Stephen King really a sequel to The Shining?

[mn dave]

Hi Dave, is that new Stephen King really a sequel to The Shining?

It is indeed, and a very fine one (if you like King).

[Brahmsian]

It is indeed, and a very fine one (if you like King).

Oooh, yes I do.  Very interesting.  I will have to snap it up! 

[Bogey]

Anyone else watching horror movies this month?

You mean all the time.

October is my fest.  Can't beat it.  (And do not give me any of that Hammer-schmammer tripe!)

[DavidW]

Anyone else reading the new Stephen King?

Anyone else watching horror movies this month?

Yes and yes.  I'm 100 pages into Dr Sleep.  I started my horror movie marathon early... last weekend I watched Insidious 2.  I also rewatched the original Amityville Horror, and plan on also rewatching the Exorcist, the Evil Dead (original), Carrie (original), The Devil's Backbone and High Tension.

[Brahmsian]

Carrie (original)

What a great film, much better than the book, IMO.  Piper Laurie and Sissy Spacek are amazing in this one!