There are a handful of writers so outrageously good they make you want to give up and pretense of joining their ranks. On my  list are Alexander Dumas, William S. Burroughs, Charles Dickens, Dan Simmons and Gene Wolfe. Reading any of their novels is enough to make you question your own abilities.

Gene Wolfe is a true original. His books defy conventional classification, his writing style is elusive and challenging, complex and deeply rewarding. His imagination is unparalleled and I think it is safe to say Gene Wolfe has no contemporary equal, save for Dan Simmons.

If you’re a fan of Gene Wolfe, then you know all-too-well that interviews with the man are rare at best.  Videotaped interview are even more rare. So today is your lucky day…a day when Gene Wolfe may be revealed to you for the first time, bald head and walking cane in tow…

This was recorded in 2006 at Balticon 40.

Kim Stanley Robinson, one of the greats in contemporary science-fiction writing, notable for his Red Mars trilogy, recently gave a talk at Duke University about Science, Religion and Ideology….you know, light topics. It’s a fascinating lecture by a cunning mind, full of insight and portent..and now it’s is available for those of us who don’t attend Duke University:

Part 1

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It has taken quite a long time for Edgar Rice Burroughs classic John Carter books to make their way to the big screen, but the finish line is getting ever closer now that Disney is fully on-board, casting has been completed, and the real work begins.  Considering the John Carter books were a heavy influence on James Cameron’s Avatar, one has to wonder if a John Carter of Mars movie will seem derivative of Avatar? I assume most people have not read, let alone heard of Edgar Rice Burroughs, so it will be entertaining to watch the inevitable articles coming in the future that claim John Carter is nothing more than a rip-off…

Here’s the line from Disney:

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton (”Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E”), JOHN CARTER OF MARS brings this captivating hero to the big screen in a stunning adventure epic set on the wounded planet of Mars, a world inhabited by warrior tribes and exotic desert beings.  Based on the first of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Barsoom Series,” the film chronicles the journey of Civil-War veteran John Carter (TAYLOR KITSCH), who finds himself battling a new and mysterious war amidst a host of strange Martian inhabitants, including Tars Tarkas (WILLEM DAFOE) and Dejah Thoris (LYNN COLLINS).

Notes:

• Edgar Rice Burroughs was born in Chicago and is best known for writing and creating Tarzan – still one of the most successful and iconic fictional creations of all time. JOHN CARTER OF MARS is based on Burroughs’ first novel, “A Princess of Mars.”
• Academy Award^®-winning director/writer Andrew Stanton directed and co-wrote the screenplay for “WALLE,” which earned the Academy Award® and Golden Globe Award® for Best Animated Feature of 2008. He was Oscar® nominated for the screenplay. He made his directorial debut with “Finding Nemo,” garnering an Academy Award^® nomination for Best Original Screenplay and winning the Oscar® for Best Animated Feature Film of 2003. He was one of the four screenwriters to receive an Oscar^® nomination in 1996 for his contribution to “Toy Story,” and went on to receive credit as a screenwriter on subsequent Pixar films “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 2,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo” and “WALLE.” He served as co-director on “A Bug’s Life,” and was the executive producer of “Monsters, Inc.,” the 2006 Academy Award-winning “Ratatouille” and the 2009 smash hit “Up.”

Set in the wounded planet of Mars, JOHN CARTER OF MARS chronicles the journey of Civil-War veteran John Carter (TAYLOR KITSCH), who finds himself battling a new and mysterious war amidst a host of strange Martian inhabitants, including Tars Tarkas (WILLEM DAFOE) and Dejah Thoris (LYNN COLLINS).

With an average score of 96 on Metacritic, one would be justified in believing Mass Effect 2 has little room for improvement. An overwhelming majority of so-called game critics have weighed-in, predictably showering Bioware’s latest RPG with roses and garlands.

Bioware is one of a select number of game companies that receives a +3 modifier in review scores. So take an average game that would normally receive a 7, add Bioware’s name to the box, and oila! Instant 10. While this may be great for Bioware’s bottom-line, it’s actually a grave disservice to the company and gamers, not to mention a glowing example of everything that is wrong in game journalism; criticism specifically.

Having played and finished Mass Effect 2, I can safely say, without reservation or hesitation, that Bioware’s latest RPG is a complete mess, from top-to-bottom and not a product worthy of Bioware’s heritage.

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