Vector 271

Artwork by Cecile Matthey

The latest mailing from the British Science Fiction Association contains Vector 271 and Focus 59.

The contents of Vector can be found here, except for the book review section which can be found here. I’ve reviewed Robert Jackson Bennet’s The Troupe for this issue.

The contents of Focus aren’t listed online so you might be interested to know that this issue is guest-edited by Keith Brooke and has articles by Kristine Kathyrn Rusch, Garry Kilworth, Michael Swanwick, Kim Lakin-Smith, Steven Savile, Linda Nagata, Lisa Tuttle, Jeff Noon and James Patrick Kelly. Pretty damned impressive, eh? Now go and see what’s in Vector. And then join the BSFA.

Vector 270

Artwork by Mega11

The Late Spring issue of Vector has summations of 2011 from Graham Andrews, Lynne Bispham, Nic Clarke, Mark Connorton, Gary Dalkin, Alan Fraser, Naill Harrison, David Hebblethwaite, Tony Keen, Paul Kincaid, Maureen Kincaid Speller, Martin McGrath, Kev McVeigh, Anthony Nanson, Paul Graham Raven, Partick Mahon, Ian Sales, Andy Sawyer, Donna Scott, Sue Thomson, Sandra Unerman, Jonathan McCalmont, Alison Page and me. The rest of the contents (including articles from Shana Worthen, Victor Grech, Clare Thake-Vassallo, Ivan Callus, Melanie Keene, Terry Martin, Stephen Baxter and others) can be found here. Book reviews editor Martin Lewis’s editorial can be found here along with a list of the books reviewed in this issue.

This British Science Fiction Association mailing also comes with the latest issue of the BSFA writers magazine, Focus 58. Again, follow the link to discover the contents.

There is also an anthology,  BSFA Awards 2011, which reprints all of the shortlisted stories, giving us Nina Allan’s The Silver Wind (Interzone 233) and Al Robertson’s Of Dawn (Interzone 235) as well as stories from Paul Cornell, Kameron Hurley and China Miéville.

Vector 268

Artwork by the British Science Fiction Association

Vector 268 has no less than six articles on the late Diana Wynne Jones. There are also regular columns from Stephen Baxter, Paul Kincaid, Andy Sawyer and Terry Martin, and the start of a new series of articles on reproduction in science fiction. You will also find plenty of book reviews, including my review of David Wingrove’s Son Of Heaven. Use the links for further details.

 

This  mailing also has the latest issue of BSFA writer’s magazine, Focus 57, which has articles by Alastair Reynolds, David Rain, Paul Graham Raven, Gary Budgen, Christopher Priest, Keith Brooke, Lavie Tidhar, David L. Clemens and Dev Agarwal.

 

You should be able to buy this issue of Vector on its own but, to be on the safe side, join the BSFA.

Vector 266

The Spring edition of the BSFA critical journal is the first to be edited by Shana Worthen and has features from Terry Martin, Anthony Nanson, Andy Sawyer and Stephen Baxter; and summations of 2010 from Martin Lewis, Graham Andrews, Mark Connorton, Gary Dalkin, Alan Fraser, Niall Harrison, David Hebblethwaite, Tony Keen, Paul Kincaid, Jonathan McCalmont, Martin McGrath, Anthony Nanson, Martin Pots, Paul Graham Raven, Martyn Taylor, Sandra Underman, Anne Wilson, Ian Sales, Lynne Bispham, Alison Page and me. Jonathan McCalmont, in his review of 2010, says, “As with Interzone, the quality of non-fiction in Black Static is really superlative”. In fairness it should probably be pointed out that he does write some of the non-fiction in Interzone.

There are also lots of reviews, including Dave M. Roberts’s review of Music For Another World. He says that “This is a nicely varied theme anthology [...] also manages to maintain a fairly high standard throughout. On the strength of this collection, it is to be hoped that Mark Harding’s project with Mutation Press is a successful one.”  and picks out the stories by Cyril Symsa, Gavin Inglis, Aliette de Bodard, Chris Amies, Jackie Hawkins, David K. Hendrickson and Vincent Lauzon for special mention. He also says that ”My own personal favourite is probably Shostakovich Ensemble, The by Jim Steel. [...] The picture painted of the time is remarkably vivid”.

This BSFA mailing also comes with Focus 56 which includes articles on writing by Martin McGrath, Nina Allan, Terry Jackman, Aliette de Bodard, Elliot Summerhayes, Christopher Priest, Dev Argarwal, Gareth L. Powell, Gareth D. Jones and Gary Budgen. There is also poetry from Fay Symes, John F. Keane, K. Potter and Scott E. Green.

Vector 266

Vector 266 and  Focus 55 are due in early April in the next BSFA mailing.

I’ve got stuff in the next Vector. Stuff, y’hear? Stuff!

Vector 259

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Vector 259 has been published this week and it features a summation of science fiction in 2008. Its reviewers (including me, you won’t be surprised to read) have written about their five favourite books, from which Kari Sperring has produced a poll. Congatulations to the winners – but you’re going to have to buy a copy to find out who they are. There are also round-ups of film and television in 2008, Stephen Baxter’s column, articles from Andy Sawyer and Graham Sleight, an interview with Bryan Talbot, and piles of reviews. It costs £4 and is available from the British Science Fiction Association.

But wait! There’s more. If you join the BSFA, you’ll also get a Focus fiction special in this mailing. It’s got the winner and runner-ups from the BSFA short story contest, so it contains stories from Roderick Gladwish, Nina Allan, James Bloomer, Nigel Envarli Crowe, Gary Spencer, and Andrew West.

But wait! There is also a ballot paper for the annual BSFA awards, and it is inside an anthology of the stories short-listed for the Best Short Fiction Award. You’ll get to read the Greg Egan and Paul McAuley stories that were first published in Interzone, as well as the stories by Ted Chiang and M. Rickert. The five pieces of artwork on the Best Artwork shortlist are also reproduced.

But wait! There’s still more! This mailing also comes with a special BSFA members sampler edition of Postscripts which reprints some of the fiction that has appeared in it over the last few years. You’ll get stories from Stephen Baxter, Ray Bradbury, Ramsey Campbell, Peter Hamilton, Joe Hill, Stephen King, Paul McAuley, Lisa Tuttle, Gene Wolfe, and Al Robertson.

How many short stories is that altogether? I’ve lost count.

Vector 258

My review of Wayne Barlow’s God’s Demon is in Vector 258, out now. It costs £4 from here, I guess. Or you can get it by joining the British Science Fiction Association.

You’ve probably worked out that it features plenty of articles on the theme of war in science fiction (written by Stephen Baxter, James Holden, Martin McGrath, and Nick Hubble). There’s plenty of stuff  for the inner flower child as well – this issue has an extra twelve pages. Dozens of book reviews for a start, edited by the eminently capable Kari Sperring, and if you’re a member you also get a copy of Focus 53, the BSFA writers’ magazine.

Vector 259 will have a review of 2008, and I’ve got a piece on my favourite books scheduled for that. Now I’m  going to go and read Graham Sleight’s article on Thomas Disch.