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Why,
Robot?
Scots author Ken Macleod on why the idea of a tool, a machine, that
replicates our most distinctive features - a machine with a face,
a voice, a mind, a hand - is disturbing and uncanny.
08/2004
Looking
Upward
Scots SF author Ken MacLeod muses on all our imagined societies
of common ownership, and wonders if poor old human nature just keeps
on getting in the way of utopia.
07/2004
Forty
Whacks
Scots SF author Ken Macleod visits sunny Spain for the second installment
of 'Stitch and Split: Selves and Territories in Science Fiction',
in Seville, sponsored by the Universidad Internacional de Andalucia.
Take a walk with Ken down the Latin road to SFF.
06/2004
Eight
Days in Zagreb
Our jetsetting Scots SF author Ken Macleod flies out to Croatia
as a guest at the Sferakon convention. He finds the old world of
Yugoslav science fiction intriguing, from the pulp cover translations
of Western SF novels to state-sponsored SFF societies.
06/2004
Adolf
Hitler: Man or Myth?
Scots SFF author Ken MacLeod thinks it's time for the British to
blush, as a new survey reveals that large swathes of the UK's population
think Conan was real and The War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells's fictional
account of a Martian invasion, actually happened.
05/2004
Open
Letter to an Open Enemy
Scots SFF author Ken MacLeod has written science fiction novels
which make frequent passing reference to the Soviet Union, Lenin,
Trotsky, and communism. But he does not regard Lenin as a mass murderer,
any more than he regards Cromwell, Napoleon, Lincoln, Roosevelt
or Churchill as mass murderers. Read why here ...
03/2004
The
Troubles of Time Travel
Anne Groell, senior editor at the Bantam Spectra publishing imprint,
ruminates on the time in every science fiction editor's life when
one has to edit the dread 'Time Travel' novel. Yikes, move over,
Terminator ...
03/2004
Conspiracy
in the Shadow of Hierarchy
Despite some recent indulgences, Scots SF author Ken MacLeod is
not much of a one for conspiracy theories. In general they hinge
on misapplications of the principle of cui bono. Who shot JFK? Well,
Lee Harvey Oswald must surely top the list of suspects.
12/2003
Seeing
Mars from Uppsala
Ken MacLeod ruminates on his trip to Sweden's national science fiction
convention, Swecon 2003, and finds a home away from home at SF-Bokhandeln
- the Swede's main SFF bookshop.
10/2003
Touched
by a Tentacle
Scottish SF author Ken MacLeod comes across an intriguing article
on the influence of right-wing think tanks, and via that, the even
more revelatory Cursor's Media Transparency, which tells you who's
paying which pipers (and why they all play the same tune).
08/2003
The
Scottish Revolution
Scottish SF author Ken MacLeod ponders the twists and turns of fate
that made capitalist development finally and fully possible in Scotland
and irreversible in Britain as a whole.
07/2003
2001
and All That
Scottish SF author Ken MacLeod argues that much history, including
the End of it, has happened since 2001, and he thinks it is rather
important that they should not be remembered.
06/2003
Eulogy
for a Dream
Marianne Plumridge asks, with the Columbia shuttle disaster, just
what happened to our dreams of space? And will we ever dare dream
them again?
03/2003
Attack
Of The Star Clones
Is merchandising in science fiction & fantasy movies driving
the industry straight over a creative cliff? Buy Count Dooku's special
purple curved lightsabre and find out for yourself. Read Rod MacDonald's
cry of rage, here.
July/2002
Mars
Or Bust
This month's news shorts include a US tax on science
fiction and the discovery of oceans of ice on Mars. Is the space
race about to kick off again?
June/2002
The
Light Touch
Uncle Geoff has decided that as he’s written some real heavy editorial
in the past year,
he’s going to do something light this month. So here’s everything
you wanted to know about light but were afraid to ask.
May/2002
Art
For SF's Sake
John Jarrold, the SF editor behind this year's Arthur C. Clarke
Award-nominated SF novels - Pashazade by Jon Courtney Grimwood -
issues a plea of tolerance for creative art on book jacket covers.
May/2002
Muster
The Goombahs
SF author Harlan Ellison has a quiet word about Isaac Asimov's death
and an egregious misreading of history.
May/2002
Put
Your Thinking Cap On
This month, Uncle Geoff discusses the thinking process. Do you think
mostly in a non-verbal or vocally inside your head?? Read the scary
truth. After reading this you’ll realise why we only use 10% of
our brain capacity.
April/2002
The
Axe Of The Imagination
Uncle Geoff discusses how a greater use of imagination is needed
if we are going to see SF develop.
March/2002
The
Best Thing Since Sliced Bread
Uncle Geoff describes the woes of computer technology that isn’t
likely to go wrong. Is real life mimicking Blade Runner Replicant
technology or are silicon chips only doing what they’re programmed
to do?
February/2002
Worse
Case Of Parallel Evolution I've Ever Seen
Uncle Geoff discusses the human condition and why it's questionable
why anyone would want to lay claim to being labeled as belonging
to such a species?
January/2002
Private
Obsessions
Geoff looks at the private obsessions of SF Fans with an upper-case
'F' and shares some of his own while he's at it.
December/2001
The
Terrible Pain Of Science Fiction Part II
Stephen Hunt reflects on last month’s commentary on the 11th
September, now that events have taken a cruel personal new poignancy
for him. When will this strange, horrible 21st century war be over?
November/2001
Another
Commercial
With the increased commercialism of book, movie and TV companies,
is a dearth of creativity being set upon the science fiction and
fantasy community? Uncle Geoff asks some hard questions that deserve
good answers.
November/2001
The
Terrible Pain Of Science Fiction Made Reality
The wicked events in New York were called science fiction by the
shocked head of NATO. Perhaps they were, but not the kind we should
be fighting for. Our commentary asks what the hell kind of future
are we moving towards now?
October/2001
The Horror
With the way events have been evolving on the international scene,
there's only been one thing on Uncle Geoff's mind. It's probably
the same thing that's been on your mind. The horror of New York.
October/2001
Sci-Fi
Shopping
Uncle Geoff has been out a SF/F shopping, and crikey, has he one
sad tale of woe to tell. Looks like there's some things that even
American Express can't help you with.
September/2001
Identity
Crisis
Is SFcrowsnest an American site that thinks it's British, or a British
site that thinks it is American? Blimey, it's time for a science
fiction and fantasy identity crisis on the editorial bridge.
August/2001
Spoil
Me Not
Is there such a thing as a good spoiler? Uncle Geoff doesn't think
so. In fact, he has a few choice words for those that scatter science
fiction and fantasy spoilers across the internet.
July/2001
From
Orbit With Love
Did you see all that fuss kicked up when NASA was forced to accept
a paying tourist on the space station, courtesy of our Russian chums?
Geoff did, and he brings you his SF insight into the whole strange
affair.
June/2001
SF:
Give Me Freedom
Uncle Geoff has a moan about why his favourite SF shows now appear
to have their key elements decided by demographic surveys. What
the heck ever happened to the writer's creative freedom that made
the first series of Trek the success it is today? Hear his howl
of misery here.
May/2001
More
Fool You
It may be April 1st, but Uncle Geoff is no fool. He's got an interesting
theory about how you should be writing science fiction online, and
he wants to share it with you.
April/2001
Dilithium
Recharge
Uncle Geoff is taking a little break to recharge his dilithium crystals,
this month. So Steve swings into action to tell you why NASA's plans
to land humans on Mars by 2030 smells like a suicide mission to
him.
February/2001
Life
In The Short Lane Gets Creative Extension
Our editor ruminates on the possibility he might get stuck in suspended
animation for the next thousand years. Heavens forbid.
January/2001
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