Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Book Reviews: The Uncertain Places and Sleight of Hand

Lisa Goldstein's new novel The Uncertain Places has hit the shelves! io9 has a fantastic spotlight on the book:

The world is full of retellings of the Brothers Grimm lately, but Lisa Goldstein's new novel The Uncertain Places makes the world of fairy tales feel like a living place, with a long history that intersects with our own world.

...Lisa Goldstein won an American Book Award for her novel The Red Magician, and her story collection Travellers in Magic contains some of the most arresting fantasy story-telling I've ever come across. So the arrival of a new Goldstein fantasy is a major cause for rejoicing. And The Uncertain Places does not disappoint.

read the rest of the article here (spoilers!)

Outside the internet, Interzone has reviewed Peter S. Beagle's Sleight of Hand in their May-June issue. Here's our favorite part:

Few can match [Beagle] when it comes to a particular mix of the fantastic and the ordinary, with a tinge of nostalgia. As one character observes, the magic is in the telling, always.

You'll have to pick up the magazine to read the rest - but with the wonderful sf/f short fiction, movie reviews, and illustrations, Interzone is well worth a trip to the bookstore

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Richard Dansky, over at our new favorite adorable blog, Sleeping Hedgehog, has reviewed Charles de Lint's Promises to Keep, concluding:

"In the end, Promises to Keep is an origin story, the tale of how and why Jilly Coppercorn came to be. It doesn't unveil any grand mysteries or drive forward any earth-shattering metaplots; instead, it shores up everything the long-time Newford reader already knows and loves, and gives it a stronger foundation. Jilly emerges from Promises to Keep stronger, more sympathetic and believable, and in light of what's now known about her early days and choices, even more admirable. A first-time reader may enjoy the book as the origin story of an interesting character; a De Lint fan will come away with their experience of the rest of the Newford canon deepened."

Monday, May 16, 2011

Thursday Night Exclusive: The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec

From director Luc Besson (The Fifth Element) comes The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec, a steampunk romp with mummies, a pterodactyl wreaking havoc on Paris, and a heroine who simply cannot be contained. Adele is showing at the Variety Preview Room Theatre this Thursday for Variety members only, but even if you're not a member you still have a chance to score a ticket or two if you RSVP Rina at sfinsfevents@gmail.com--first come, first served!

Monday, May 02, 2011

Author events and movies? Yes please!

This just in from Rina Weisman at SF in SF:

SF in SF - Science Fiction - San Francisco - A Perfect Fit
sponsored by Tachyon Publications - Saving the world, one good book at a time

All proceeds benefit Variety Children's Charity of Northern California

Follow us on Twitter at #sfinsfevents - Join our Meetup.com group too, at SFinSFEvents!

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Bringing you quality science fiction and fantasy authors and films since 2006 - over $20k raised for Variety!!
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SATURDAY, MAY 7TH

SF in SF is delighted to present

ANDREA HAIRSTON
HOWARD HENDRIX

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Andrea Hairston is a novelist and playwright, and a Clarion West 1999 graduate. In March, 2011, she was honored with the International Association of the Fantastic in the Arts Distinguished Scholarship Award for "distinguished contributions to the scholarship and criticism of the fantastic." Ms. Hairston is the Artistic Director of Chrysalis Theatre and has created original productions with music, dance, and masks for over thirty years. She is also the Louise Wolff Kahn 1931 Professor of Theatre and Afro-American Studies at Smith College. Ms. Hairston has received many playwriting and directing awards, including an NEA Grant to Playwrights, and a Shubert Fellowship for Playwriting. Since 1997, her plays produced by Chrysalis Theatre and others have been science fiction plays.

Ms. Hairston's first novel, Mindscape (Aqueduct Press, 2006) won the Carl Brandon Parallax Award and was shortlisted for the Phillip K. Dick Award and the Tiptree Award. She is a frequent attendee at WisCon, the longest-running Feminist Science Fiction Convention in the world. She has published numerous short stories and essays, such as "Griots of the Galaxy," (So Long Been Dreaming: Postcolonial Visions of the Future), "Romance of the Robot: From RUR & Metropolis to WALL-E" (The WisCon Chronicles: Vol. 4) "Lord of the Monsters—Minstrelsy Redux: King Kong, Hip Hop, and the Brutal Black Buck," (Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts) and "Octavia Butler—Praise Song to a Prophetic Artist" (Daughters of Earth).

Redwood and Wildfire, her second speculative novel, was recently published by Aqueduct Press in April 2011. "At the turn of the 20th century, minstrel shows transform into vaudeville which slides into moving pictures. Hunkering together in dark theatres, diverse audiences marvel at flickering images. This "dreaming in public" becomes common culture and part of what transforms immigrants and "native" born into Americans." We are delighted to welcome this wonderful artist to our SF in SF program for the first time.

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Howard V. Hendrix is "one of the best novelists working in science fiction today" according to author Kim Stanley Robinson. Nominated for Nebula Awards, a Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award winner, and a 1st prize winner in the Writers of the Future Contest, Hendrix is a professor of English literature at CSU Fresno, and coordinates the annual Eaton Science Fiction Conference at UC Riverside. His many publications include dozens of shorter experimental and science fiction stories, political essays, book reviews, and works of literary criticism, including his book-length study of apocalyptic elements in English literature from Langland to Milton, The Ecstasy of Catastrophe (1990). Hendrix's most widely available works of shorter science fiction and near-miss thrillers are available in the Full Spectrum series (Bantam Books) and in The Outer Limits, Volume 1 (Prima). His novels include Spears of God (2006) and The Labyrinth Key (2004), Empty Cities of the Full Moon (2001), Lightpaths (1997), Standing Wave (1998), and Better Angels (October 1999). Hendrix also created a stir among SFF fans and authors with an LJ posting on April 12, 2007, discussing authors who offer their works for free on the internet, either as written works, or recorded as podcasts. His comments have drawn discussion, compliments, and criticism, and resulted in "International Pixel-Stained Technopeasant Day."

He lives with his wife Laurel in central California, where they enjoy backpacking in the Sierras and mushroom forays in the foothills. He is currently at work on a fourth novel, Empty Cities of the Full Moon, set in a universe quite different from his first three books. He is also, incidentally, one of the nicest guys you could hope to meet, and SF in SF is delighted to welcome him back.
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Join SF in SF at the Movies!

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD & CONAN
Doors and cash bar open at 6:00PM - free popcorn!!
Candy for sale at the bar (what's a movie without Red Vines?!)
Free THOR one sheet movie poster for each attendee!

Films start at 7:00PM - there will be a short intermission between films

THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD

A MOST special film you won't want to miss - it's the biographical treatment of Robert E. Howard and his life and love with teacher Novalyne Price. Based on her autobiographical book, One Who Walked Alone, it's the story of REH and Novalyne's romance against the backdrop of small town Cross Plains, the beginnings of Howard's literary career as the premier writer of sword & sorcery fiction, and the sad and tragic story of his relationship with his mother. Believe me - you don't have to read Conan to love this movie. It's one of the most respectful, involving, and amazing movies out there - the debut of Renee Zellweger, and the knock 'em dead acting of Vincent D'Onfrio as Bob Howard - and a true story of star-crossed love. The backstory of the author who brought us Conan, Red Sonja, Agnes the Sword Woman, and Solomon Kane is not to be believed!

CONAN
Well, this one is just for fun - our way of saying, "goodbye Arnold!!!" Actually, it's the "epic tale of child sold into slavery who grows into a man who seeks revenge against the warlord who massacred his tribe." Or, if you prefer "He conquered an empire with his sword. She conquered HIM with her bare hands." Whatever - we just know it's a hoot. Come live the legend - campy, trashy, and an amazing transformation of the well-known and well-loved stories from the pen of Robert E. Howard. Swords will be confiscated at the door, but if you come dressed as Red Sonja, we'll give you a free drink!

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Suggested donation at the door $5 per person - it's all for the kids folks! The need for services and help continues in our community, and money donated to Variety helps meet those needs - come have a great time while helping the Charity!

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No need to RSVP for either of these events - but seating is limited, and first-come, first-seated. Once we are full - we're full! :)

Doors and cash bar open at 6:00PM
Events start at 7:00PM
Books for sale at author events courtesy of Borderlands Books www.borderlands-books.com
Author events podcasted courtesy of Rick Kleffel, and the Agony Column - learn more, and catch previous SF in SF podcasts

SF in SF takes place at:

The Variety Preview Room Theatre
The Hobart Bldg., 1st Floor - entrance between Quiznos and Citibank
582 Market Street @ 2nd and Montgomery
San Francisco, CA 94104

DON'T DRIVE - BART/MUNI Montgomery Street station is right at our front door, and parking in San Francisco sucks!!! Street parking ($3.50 per hour) is metered M-Sat., til 6PM; find a parking garage here
Phone - days of events: 415-572-1015
Email me at sfinsfevents@gmail.com with any questions.