Fiction Magazine : Issue Four

Reviewed By Gareth D. Jones

Since issue #3, Fiction magazine has moved to PDF format, with the possibility of moving back to print in the future. I don’t find on-line magazines as exciting as having an actual printed magazine in your hand, but the editors are maintaining the standard of fiction established in their first two print editions.

The first and longest story is An Act of Mercy by Sarah Hughes. It’s a multi-stranded story that initially left me confused due to the similarity of character’s names in different threads (Ryan, Rayne, Reuben). This meant that I had to keep checking back , breaking the flow of the story. Several typos didn’t help too. Getting past these problems, it was an interesting story of viruses, nanobots, androids and a sprinkling of very diverse characters to add to the interest. I’m tempted to say it was almost too ambitious, introducing enough characters to sustain a much longer piece. The complex plot was entertaining though and the android characters were particularly well developed.

Gareth L Powell’s contribution is A Necklace of Ivy, a realistically rendered tale set against the backdrop of a mysterious alien plague sweeping through Cornwall. A young couple are making their way out of the county in advance of an army curfew, but make the mistake of stopping for one last break. The realistic dialogue and briefly sketched description make it a compelling little tale.
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First There Was Orson Welles’ Radio Broadcast, Then Came Alternative 3

DVD Release Date: October 8th 2007.

Released through Soda Pictures.

In 1977 Anglia Television broadcast a programme called Alternative 3, a film By Christopher Miles, which purported to show evidence of life on a scientific colony on Mars and how scientists were being shipped to the planet.

By the time the programme had finished the switchboard at ITV was jammed, partly by callers alarmed at the end of life on earth as we know it and partly by viewers, recognising the programme as a hoax, ringing to blame the channel of being irresponsible.

Thirty years later however, life on Mars is not as outrageous a statement as it once was.

Alternative 3 is a spoof documentary. Originally scheduled for broadcast on April 1st it was meant to be an update on the now infamous radio broadcast by Orson Welles War Of The Worlds which was broadcast in the 1930s.

It stars Tim Brinton, Gregory Munroe, Carol Hazell. The piece is held together by the believability of the Tim Brinton (the commentator), who in his 70s Queens English voice comes across as a real broadcaster, which I believe he actually was.

Making an apprearance is Richard Marner (as Dr. Carl Gerstein) of ‘Allo ‘Allo fame. Of course, when first made, he wasn’t as well known, so you need to pretend he’s a stranger on screen.

The rest of the cast really look like they’re straining to look at ease in front of the screen, they seem to force their words and don’t look relaxed at all. Maybe it’s by design, but it looked to me totally contrived. Although, it could be because it’s quite an old program and was purposely shot like that.

Science Report is an old science program, and this was broadcast as part of it, adding to the realism.

At the time, the filmmakers were unrepentant at the furore that met their programme stating that the message from the film is that people should analyse what they see and hear on TV or radio - and shouldn’t just jump in and believe all they see, hear or read.

Thirty years later however, life on Mars is not as outrageous a statement as it once was, albeit the probability of intelligent life on Mars is probably just about zero.

I’ve been told, that apparently it has been banned from rebroadcast on British TV and undoubtely add fuel to the conpiracy theorists fire - they believe that it was to blow the whistle on an actual government project and alien threat.

It’s worth watching to see a piece of broadcasting history, if not well known. The chuckle factor is definitely present, so you need to watch it as if it’s 1977.

Interview With Adrian Pasdar (Nathan Petrelli In Heroes)

Power: Flying

How do you feel about Nathan? There seems to be some underlying ambiguity about his character?

It’s close to playing a Richard III-type character but in a modern dimension. All I need is a physical kind of abnormality to befall me, like hump or a limp then I would have a really Shakespearian experience!

I don’t think he is necessarily concerned whether he is good or bad. I do think that there is a dark side that has to be dealt with, but the people who think they are good will probably turn out the other way on this show. It wouldn’t do me any good to speculate as to how I’m going to end up. I think there is both good and bad in this character which is interesting to play. I am as much a fan who is along for the ride as the public are with this character and where he ultimately is going to go.

Would you agree that your character is defined more by his relationships than his superhero power?

Yes, I find these relationship dynamics are more interesting to play than the perceived super power, they have written that very well. The relationships that I share with my mum, with Peter (Milo Ventimiglia), with my wife and with Niki (Ali Larter), all those elements are angling together toward defining who Nathan Petrelli is to himself and his potential constituency.

Ultimately, when you’re in the game of politics and you’re a man like Nathan Petrelli, there is only one seat that you want and that’s behind a desk in the Oval Office.

As we take this journey, we may find ourselves in the White House and that should make these relationships even more interesting.

Were you excited by the prospect of flying in the show?
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Can You Help Answer This Question?

Q) Sue wrote, As a child, in the 70s or 80s (Sorry I can’t remember the definite decade), I read a book about a group of individuals who after seeing and picking up a glowing crystal, awoke to find themselves on a different planet. They were supplied with equipment to survive including identification cards of the creatures on the planet.

The book followed their survival.

Can anybody tell what the book was called?

A) Unfortunately, we couldn’t find anything relating to this. Maybe it’s a children’s fantasy book? Or an old episode of some program, lost in the dim depths of the past? (You know how tv programs and books can get mixed up!).

Do you have any ideas? Let us know via a comment, thanks!

Scifi UK Channel’s Scariest Night On TV

Yes, they’re so happy with the ridiculously entertaining SNOT, that they want to celebrate, in style. So they’re sending four people to Universal Orlando Resort!

Yes, the one in America, and everything!

The grand prize is a sensational holiday that includes:

• * Return airfare and resort transfers between hotel and airport
• * 7 nights on-site hotel accommodations at the exciting Hard Rock Hotel
• * Four 7-Day/2-Park Tickets to both Universal Orlando theme parks
• * Free access* to the live entertainment at Universal CityWalk

There are a few rules to go with this competition, so you’d better check them out before hand, on the microsite.

So click, enter, and cross your fingers!

Does anyone else think SNOT is a waste of space on a ‘Scifi’ Channel ?

See all competitions.

Daywatch (Dnevnoi Dozor): Exclusive Film Clip

Day Watch (Dnevnoy dozor) is the sequel to Night Watch (Nochnoy dozor) and is due to be released October 5th 2007. It is directed by Timur Bekmambetov, produced by Konstantin Ernst and Anatoly Maximov, with the screenplay by Segei Lukyanenko, Timur Bakmambetov and Alexander Talal.

Starring Maria Porishina, Vladimir Menshov, Galina Tyunina, Victor Verzhbitskiy, Zhanna Friske, Dima Martyniv, Valeriy Zolothukhin and Aleksey Chadov.

To show you what the visual effects, sound effects and overall essence of the film will be, we’ve been given an exclusive clip of Day Watch for you to look at. If you’re into fantasy with some neat, but not over the top, effects, then have a look at this.

It’s not too long and will give you a nice taste of the film.

Day Watch Exclusive Clip:

Quicktime

High : Medium : Low

Realplayer

High : Medium : Low

Windows Media Player

High : Medium : Low

All Posts For NightWatch / DayWatch (Interviews, images, trailers).
Part 1: NightWatch To DayWatch (Dnevnoi Dozor) Introduction
Part 2: Inside The Film’s Origin: DayWatch (Dnevnoi Dozor)
Part 3: Casting Of The Dark And Light Ones: DayWatch (Dnevnoi Dozor)

:.: :.::. ..:: .:

Sunshine The Movie: From Makers Of 28 Days Later by Richard Hawkins on February 20th, 2007

Paycheck by Richard Hawkins on September 8th, 2005

Ghost Rider: Nicolas Cage: Eva Mendes: On DVD, UMD Video And Blu-Ray. Download Clips. Synopsis by Richard Hawkins on July 22nd, 2007

Night Is Day : Episode 3 Review by Richard Hawkins on March 20th, 2007

Jacobs Ladder by Richard Hawkins on September 8th, 2005

Two 2001 Music Scores? Oneword’s Score Plays Them Both

I was listening to The Score, a programme about film music on Oneword Radio, a UK digital station.

On June 24 they played both scores for Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. I was unaware there were two scores but you may not be so ignorant. However if you are then it is a fact that Stanley Kubrick commissioned Alex North to write the score for his film 2001: A Space Odyssey, but decided against it in favour of the classics we know. North’s score is in two movements, reflecting the first and second chapters of the film.

Wikipedia states:

‘The 2001: A Space Odyssey score is an unused film score composed by Alex North for Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film, 2001: A Space Odyssey.’

‘North, unaware that Kubrick had decided not to use the score in his film was “devastated” at the 1968 New York City premiere screening of 2001 not to hear his work, and later offered this account of his experience:

“Well, what can I say? It was a great, frustrating experience, and despite the mixed reaction to the music, I think the Victorian approach with mid-European overtones was just not in keeping with the brilliant concept of Clarke and Kubrick.”‘
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An Interview with Gareth L Powell: 4 September 2007

Gareth L Powell is a speculative fiction writer from the UK. Critics have likened his work to Richard Morgan and Charles Stross. Recently, he has been published in America, Europe and the Middle East, and his work translated into Polish, Greek, Hebrew, Spanish and Portuguese. Earlier this year, his short story The Last Reef made the long lists for both the BSFA and BFS awards for Best Short Story, and placed highly in the 2006 Interzone Reader’s Poll.

Gareth keeps a blog at: http://garethlynpowell.blogspot.com, with links to online examples of his work.

Well Gareth, it seems like it’s been a very busy year for you since we last spoke. Could you tell us about the books you’ve signed deals for?

Since we last spoke, I’ve been fortunate enough to sign deals with two very cool independent presses, Elastic Press and Pendragon Press. Elastic Press are going to publish my debut short story collection, The Last Reef and Other Stories, in August 2008. This collects together many of the stories I’ve had published in print and online magazines over the last four years, including the two stories that have appeared in Interzone.

Then in 2009, Pendragon Press are going to publish my first novel, Silversands - a breathless cyberpunk yarn, shot through with planetary politics, espionage and subterfuge. I’ve also just released a collection of poetry, entitled: Los Muertos. This is my second poetry collection. It includes around forty poems, new and old, and can be ordered via my website.

I understand you’ve also been busy academically?

That’s right. Somehow I found time to take the Institute of Direct Marketing’s Certificate in Direct and Interactive Marketing, and pass with credit – an achievement I’m still very proud of.

Has that experience helped shape the way you write your fiction?
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After Waking Up From A Bionic Install, You Need To Be Checked Over

A nice funky bit of flash game which makes you imagine you know what it’s like to test your bionics. Obviously (?) created in conjunction with the new movie The Bionic Woman, starring Michelle Ryan, it makes me remember of when Lee Majors, as The Six Million Dollar Man was the coolest character on TV: his really cool hair, slow-mo fast running, really groovy orange jump suit, the amazing intro tune and even the comic which was around for a while. The Bionic Woman of the 70s was rubbish even at the time. Just a piggy-back series.

The Bionic Man comic included stickers you could peel off and stick to your arms, absolutely fantastic, until you realise they’re pretty permenant, and you realise you don’t have super strength when you’re blubbering like a baby as the hairs on your arms are being pulled out by the roots. Ah, the good old days, eh?

Well, nowerdays, The Six Million Dollar Man is dated, in terms of the technology and even filming effects. His clothes are even worse, they’re laughable. The stories are fluent and would be ok to develop for modern times. Sadly, when I watched it a year or so ago, it just wasn’t what I remembered.

Let’s hope the The Bionic Woman series bring the 70s coolness into the 21st century a bit quicker than stuttering slo-mo effects.

Erm.. oh yeah, the game: found on scifichick.com. Go and play, it’s a fun hand and eye coordination thinking game.

GO BIONIC!

Midnight Street : Issue Nine

Reviewed By Gareth D. Jones

Unlike most of the other magazines I’ve read recently, Midnight Street contains a varied mixture of interviews, reviews, and articles, as well as a sprinkling of poems interspersed among the fiction. It’s an A4 magazine with coloured illustrations on the cover and black and white within.

We start with The Ice Horse, an intriguing story by Mark Howard Jones in which an unfortunate captive is imprisoned inside a giant sculpture of a horse. Why he’s there isn’t entirely clear, partly due to his half-frozen state. The background character of the artistic genius who created the sculpture adds an interesting dimension too as the freezing captive tries to figure out an escape.

An unstable man who suffers from gaps in his memory, among other things, goes Shoplifting in Chris Ward’s story that alternates between humour and pity. As his character becomes more paranoid and desperate, unsure whether he stole the clothes he’s wearing, his situation becomes more and more pitiable. It’s a story well told, aside from the use of profanity that I thought over the top, being used in the narration as well as by the shoplifter. Sorry, alleged shoplifter.

The something in Ken Goldman’s story There’s Something in Autumn Palms Lake quickly turns out to be an alligator. I’m not spoiling the story by telling you that. The reason it’s there, told in flashback, and the final scene, make what seems to be a fairly predictable story into something much more interesting.
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