The Three Body Problem is a science-fiction novel written by Liu Cixin. Originally serialised in Science Fiction World in 2006, the novel was subsequently published as a stand-alone Chinese-language version in 2008, with the English-language version (translated by Ken Liu) published by Tor Books in 2014. However, it is a deeply flawed novel, beset with fundamental (even basic) faults. And yet it continues to be nominated (and even win) awards. […]
I have just spent the last few days working out how to move my server. If you haven’t noticed any difference, then that’s good. However, if you notice some issues then please drop a comment and tell me, so I can fix it ASAP. It’s been quite stressful. I haven’t done any real sys-admin work for more than a decade, and there’s always a worry that I’ve forgotten something. But […]
As usual for this time of year, there is a lot of discussion about changing the date for Australia Day. There are many reasons for doing so (which I won’t entertain here), but no clear alternative date. Here is a sketch I recently posted to Mastodon about the issues of choosing 9th May as Australia Day. It’s just a bit of fun. Cast:
I did not know Terry Bisson. In fact, I barely recognised his name when I saw John Scalzi’s post about his passing. On a whim, I did a little research. I’m glad I did. I may not have remembered his name, but I loved his work.
I have had an AO3 account for more than a year. Almost eighteen months, to be exact. In the mad rush to publish Coils of the Serpent everywhere I could manage, I signed up — only to discover that AO3 frowns upon original works, preferring to remain a site reserved for fan fiction. It has been a long time since I wrote any fan fiction. I wrote some back around […]
Of course I was distrustful. Even moreso once I actually saw the place. I checked the message, written on a slip of grimy paper. The purple ink smudged. The address was right. Yet all I saw was an alley beside an old bombed-out department store. I knew the store. I was glad to see it destroyed. My mother used to drag me through it for hours when I was little. […]
I am happy. The street is clean and damp. I wait for my succulent loaf of bread, and my 453.6 grams of wholesome milk. The queue is not long. The people are cheerful and consistent. Oh no! A reckless man brushes past a small child. She spills her milk. The nourishing and satisfying food wasted.
“How am I supposed to defeat even one giant let alone an entire empire?” En fretted. “You must out-think them,” Kobanongar the hunchback, told him. “Even If I had the heads of the six smartest people, in my father’s kingdom, a single giant would be smarter.” “If you had the heads of the six smartest people, you’d be considered a tyrant and have even bigger problems.” The Hunchback said, wryly. […]
I am happy. The economic bus is clean and quiet. I am going to work at my government appointed employment. My spirit is filled with incentive and inspiration. All my fellow bus riders are happy. Their spirits are filled with vigour and stimulus. Oh no!
It’s been just over two weeks since I finished Ursula Le Guin’s, The Left Hand of Darkness. I wanted to pen my thoughts on the matter. I’ll try to keep spoilers to a minimum. Although the novel is fifty plus years old, it managed to pass unheeded by me until now. It is a science-fiction tale, although at its essence it’s a story about clashes of cultures, and finding common […]