books

Mostly Geek has a new home

Saturday, June 18th, 2011 | Board, Card, Cons, Console, LARP, Minis, PC, RPG, Street art, TV, Video, actual play, blogging, books, comics, geekdom, movies, music | Comments Off

Due to issues with hosting I’ve decided to go cheap and just use the freely hosted version of WordPress over at wordpress.com.

Therefore this blog now lives at: http://mostlygeeknz.wordpress.com/

Please update your links.

The place of speculative fiction in literature

Thursday, February 3rd, 2011 | Sophie, blogging, books | Comments Off

The Guardian has a very interesting article on the place of speculative fiction in the world of literary prizes such as the Man Booker Prize.

This quote from the article sums up a number of feelings I have on the matter quite well.

Over the same period, the fashion of literary fiction writers borrowing ideas from SF has continued. Putting aside concerns that novels such as Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake, and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go lag more than two decades behind in their treatment of cloning and genetics, for the Booker judges to consider SF ideas when recycled by literary authors, but to ignore the source of those ideas, only highlights the narrowness of the award’s perspective.

Well worth a read if you have a few minutes, not to mention that it has a very good list of forward thinking speculative fiction books that people should read.

Is speculative fiction poised to break into the literary canon? – The Guardian, Wednesday February 2nd 2011

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Need something to read?

Saturday, January 8th, 2011 | Sophie, blogging, books | 1 Comment

The great people over at i09.com have released a list of the 15 best speculative fiction books of 2010. While I admit that I haven’t actually read any of these yet I think I may try to make my way through the list.

Check out the list if you’re in need of something new to read.

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Winter Is Coming.

Monday, June 14th, 2010 | Nick, TV, books | Comments Off

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New Mieville Extract

Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 | Nick, books | Comments Off

One of my favourite ‘speculative fiction’ authors from the last few years has to be China Mieville. Reading Perdido Street Station for the first time was a revelation. That’s still my favourite book of his and, to be honest, I haven’t enjoyd his last couple so much, but I still look forward to a new work with some anticipation. The combination of the grotesque, fantastical and political really appeals to me even when he’s not at his best.

Kraken is his upcoming book (out in the UK in May) and there’s an extract at the publisher’s website. It’s just a short one but it’s a great set up. It’s a return to the real real world – actual London (like in King Rat) rather than made up eastern Europe (like in The City & The City) so that will be interesting. Most people, including myself if I’m honest, would prefer a return to Bas-Lag, the world of Perdido Street Station, The Scar and Iron Council, but a man’s gotta write what he’s gotta write – the worst possible thing would be a new Bas-Lag novel just for the hope of selling more copies!

I waited to buy The City & The City until I saw it on sale and I suspect I’ll wait for this in paperback too, unless it gets really seriously good reviews. Luckily Mieville is one of those guys who everyone has an opinion on so at least there will eb lots of reviews.

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Linky linky linky linky LINKS

Thursday, December 17th, 2009 | Nick, PC, RPG, books, games, geekdom | Comments Off

    Sorry for last week’s lack of links and apologies in advance for the lack of links next week!

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    Links? On a Thursday?

    Thursday, December 3rd, 2009 | Console, Nick, PC, RPG, Video, books, games, geekdom | Comments Off

    Who would have thunk it?

    I think the internet is playing Dragon Age too…

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    It’s Thursday. Want some links?

    Thursday, November 26th, 2009 | Console, Nick, PC, RPG, TV, Video, books, games, geekdom | Comments Off

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    Yet another THURSDAY LINK DAY!!!

    Thursday, November 19th, 2009 | Nick, PC, RPG, TV, books, comics, games, movies | Comments Off

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    Thursday LINK DAY!!!

    Thursday, November 12th, 2009 | Console, Nick, RPG, Video, books, games | Comments Off

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