Ansible 460 -- November 2025
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Oct 31, 2025, 4:35:50 PM (3 days ago) Oct 31
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ANSIBLE(R) 460
NOVEMBER 2025
From DAVID LANGFORD, 94 London Road, Reading, Berks, RG1 5AU, UK. Website news.ansible.uk. ISSN 0265-9816 (print); 1740-942X (e). Available for SAE, Force-fields, Stealth, Mort-main, Nigromancy, Mopery or Gawk.
[NET NOTE. See https://news.ansible.uk/a460.html for the nice HTML version; https://news.ansible.uk/pdf/a460.pdf for a printable PDF. Mailing list subscribe/unsubscribe information appears below -- please don't send such requests to my own e-mail address. DRL]
### THE DEEP SCHOOL ###
SIR ARTHUR C. CLARKE would surely have made some trenchant comment on this recent attribution: 'Asimov said above a certain level technology is indistinguishable from magic.' (_Alien Earth_, episode 4) [BA]
ANDREW COPE's 'Spy Dog' sf thrillers for children (Puffin Books) have been pulled from schools and bookshops because they include links to the author's former series website, which has changed hands and is now infested with 'inappropriate adult content'. (BBC, 8 October) [SF2C]
SAMUEL R. DELANY was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences on 11 October. 'It's an honor to be part of that tradition. / (The only members I'd met before were Einstein [when I was ten], and Jacqueline Woodson.)' (Facebook, 13 October)
LASZLO KRASZNAHORKAI, latest winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, has had an entry in the _SF Encyclopedia_ (by John Clute) since 2015.
GEORGE ORWELL's _Animal Farm_ and _1984_ have at last been translated into Welsh, by Anna Gruffydd, as _Foel yr Anifeiliaid_ and _Mil Naw Wyth Deg Pedwar_. The greatest challenge, says the publisher, was adapting _1984_'s Newspeak and the 'Principles of Newspeak' essay. (BBC, 27 October)
OSCAR WILDE's British Library reader status -- cancelled after his conviction and imprisonment in 1895 -- was symbolically restored in October and a new reader's card issued to his grandson. Just to make sure no Wilde impersonators can take advantage, the card expires or expired on Wilde's death date of 30 November 1900. (BBC, 16 October) [SF2C]
### CONSILIENCE ###
1 Nov [] SONIC CON UK (Sonic the Hedgehog), Novotel London West. Tickets GBP35.37 inc fee; other rates at www.sonicconuk.com.
7-9 Nov [] NOVACON 54, Palace Hotel, Buxton. GoH Emily Tesh. GBP54 reg; under-17s GBP12; under-13s free. More at novacon.uk.
8 Nov [] DOUGLAS ADAMS celebration, Royal Geographical Society, London. 7:30pm. Tickets from GBP49.95. See tinyurl.com/25ble5tz.
8 Nov [] PICTCON1, Salutation Hotel, 30-34 South St, Perth, Scotland. GBP30 reg; GBP20 concessions. See tinyurl.com/2sy4adp8.
15-16 Nov [] THOUGHT BUBBLE COMIC CONVENTION, Harrogate Convention Centre, as part of comics festival. GBP38 weekend; GBP27/day; under-12s, over-65s and carers free. See thoughtbubblefestival.com.
15-16 Nov [] YALC: UK YA LIT CON, Olympia, London, as part of comics con. See londoncomicconwinter.com/YALC/.
22 Nov [] STARS OF TIME (comics), Weston-super-Mare. GBP11.55; under-14s GBP7.21. See www.starsoftime.co.uk/weston-s-mare-winter.
22 Nov [] CYMERA WRITERS' CONFERENCE, Edinburgh/online. GBP75, concessions GBP65; online GBP55/GBP45. See www.cymerafestival.co.uk.
22 Nov [] TFN: MINI-CON (_Transformers_), Reading University. GBP40; under-18s GBP25; under-16s free. See tfnation.com/mini-con-reading-25.
23 Nov [] SF, COMIC & TOY FAIR, Leigh Sports Village. 11am-4pm. Tickets GBP3, children GBP1. See www.mseevents.co.uk/.
28-30 Nov [] MCM COMIC CON, Birmingham NEC. Tickets from GBP67. See www.mcmcomiccon.com/birmingham/en-us.html
29 Nov [] DRAGONMEET (gaming), London Excel. 9am-11pm. Tickets GBP19.20; under-18s GBP12. See www.dragonmeet.co.uk.
5 Dec [] TOLKIEN SEMINAR LECTURE, Magdalen College, Oxford. 5pm. 'No registration is required.' See tolkien50.web.ox.ac.uk.
27 Mar - 23 Aug 2026 [] FAIRY TALES (exhibition), British Library, London. See events.bl.uk/exhibitions/fairy-tales.
12 Apr 2026 [] STARS OF TIME (comics), LC, Swansea. 10am-4:30pm. GBP11.55 (under-14s GBP7.21) at www.starsoftime.co.uk/swanseacomiccon.
8-9 May 2026 [] NORNCON, Hilton Lanyon Place, Belfast. GoH Anna Spark Smith, Adrian Tchaikovsky. GBP35 reg; GBP20 concessions. Online registration is open at norncon.org.
22-24 May 2026 [] MCM COMIC CON, London ExCel. Tickets from GBP97; day rates at www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/en-us.html.
29-30 May 2026 [] _LOLLY WILLOWES_ centenary conference (Sylvia Townsend Warner Society), University College, London. Call for papers with 30 November deadline at townsendwarner.com/the-society/news.
2-4 Oct 2026 [] OCTOCON, Clayton Hotel, Cork, Ireland (_new venue_) and online. Registration 'will open soon' at octocon.com.
2-4 Oct 2026 [] LAKES INTERNATIONAL COMIC ART FESTIVAL, Bowness-on-Windermere. Ticket sales awaited at www.comicartfestival.com.
26-29 Mar 2027 [] UNCONFINED (Eastercon), Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow. GBP90 reg, GBP65 concessions, GBP25 under-27s, GBP5 under-13s -- _these rates are expected to rise on 1 December._ See easterconglasgow.org.
2-6 Sep 2027 [] MONTREAL WORLDCON 2027, Montreal, Canada. All rates CAD: adults $250 (inc $70 WSFS membership), under-31s $200 (ditto), under-18s $90, under-13s $45, accompanied under-8s free. _Rates are expected to rise in December 2025._ See montreal2027.ca.
RUMBLINGS. _Worldcon 2029:_ the Dublin bid, aiming for 2-6 August, has a website at dublin2029.ie and another at linktr.ee/dublin2029.
### INFINITELY IMPROBABLE ###
THE ILLUMINATI BROTHERHOOD invites your editor to sign up: 'Whether your goals lie in business, politics, the arts, or personal empowerment, becoming a member of the Illuminati will grant you access to life-changing opportunities. Upon initiation, you will receive countless benefits, including profound knowledge, influential global connections, and an immediate cash reward of $2.5 million USD to recognize your commitment to the Brotherhood.' (Email from Brazil, 2 October)
AWARDS. _Elgin_ (SFPA poetry book). BOOK _Mexicans on the Moon_ ed. Pedro Iniguez. CHAPBOOK _The Inca Weaver's Tales_ by Katherine Quevedo.
_Harvey Hall of Fame_ (comics, life achievement): John Byrne, Peter David, Patrick McDonnell, Wendy and Richard Pini, Barbara Shermund.
_Lambda_ (LGBTQ) sf category: _Metal from Heaven_ by August Clarke.
_Le Guin Prize for Fiction:_ _Rakesfall_ by Vajra Chandrasekera.
_Prix Actusf de l'Uchronie_ (France), graphic category: the _Grandville_ series by 'le tres _british_ Bryan Talbot'. (Onirik.net)
_Rhysling_ (SFPA poem): LONG 'The Blackthorn' by Mary Soon Lee (_Dreams & Nightmares_). SHORT 'Lost Ark' by F. J. Bergmann (_Space & Time_).
_Sturgeon_ (short story): 'The Carcossa Pattern' by Conrad Loyer (_Fiyah_). [F770]
IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. 'The body is a constant construction site that you need to maintain -- or you fall apart like in _Death Becomes Her_.' (Sophie Hermann, _London Standard_, 17 September) [PE]
R.I.P. _Tony Adams_ (1940-2025), UK _Crossroads_ actor also in _Doctor Who_ ('The Green Death', 1973) and _Aladdin_ (1986), died on 24 October aged 84. [SG]
_Alicia Bonet_ (1947-2025), Mexican actress in _Los jinetes de la bruja_ (1966) and others, died on 26 October aged 78. [SJ ]
_Martine Brochard_ (1944-2025), French actress long resident in Italy who co-starred in _Il medium_ (1980) and whose books for children include _Zaffiretto il vampiretto e altri racconti_ (1999), died on 18 October aged 81. [SJ]
_Jackie Burch_, US casting director whose many films include _Weird Science_ (1985), _The Running Man_ (1987), _Judge Dredd_ (1995) and _The Hunger Games_ (2012), died on 12 October aged 74. [AIP]
_Michele Burke_ (1949-2025), Oscar-winning Irish makeup artist whose films include _Quest for Fire_ (1981), _Bram Stoker's Dracula_ (1992), _Interview with the Vampire_ (1994), _The Cell_ (2000) and _Minority Report_ (2002), died on 26 September aged 75. [AIP]
_Grant Canfield_, FAAn Award-winning US fan artist whose work appeared in many zines including _Locus_ and _Science Fiction Review_, died on 21 October. He was nominated seven times for the fan artist Hugo in the 1970s and received the Rotsler Award for life achievement in 1999. [LB]
_Tony Caunter_ (1937-2025), UK _EastEnders_ actor in _The Mind of Mr Soames_ (1970), _The Asphyx_ (1972), _The National Union of Space People_ (2016) and genre tv series including _Doctor Who_ (10 episodes 1965-1983), died on 13 October aged 88. [SJ]
_Robert R. Chase_ (1948-2025), US author of many short stories since his 1984 debut in _Analog_, and three sf novels beginning with _The Game of Fox and Lion_ (1986), died on 20 October. [SHS]
_Ron Dean_ (1938-2025), US actor in _The Dark Knight_ (2008), died on 5 October aged 87.
_Samantha Eggar_ (1939-2025), UK actress in _Dr Dolittle_ (1967), _The Brood_ (1979), _Prince Valiant_ (65 episodes 1991-1993), _The Phantom_ (1996), _The Astronaut's Wife_ (1999) and others, died on 15 October aged 86, [SG]
_Terry A. Garey_ (1948-2025), US fan and poet (some work collected in _The Cat Star and Other Poems_, 2022) who edited two sf verse anthologies, died on 6 October aged 77. [KS] Highlights of my one visit to Minneapolis included the fine fannish hospitality of Terry and Denny Lien (1945-2023).
_Barbara Gips_ (1936-2025), creator of film advertising taglines -- most famously 'In space no one can hear you scream.' for _Alien_ -- died on 16 October aged 89. [AIP]
_James A. Hetley_ (1947-2025), US author of the fantasy series 'The Summer Country' (from 2002), 'Stonefort' (2005) and 'Bladesmith' (2012, as James A. Burton), died on 8 October after a bike crash; he was 78. [JDN]
_Ronald T. Jones_, US author of short sf/fantasy since 2010 (as well as military adventure novels), was killed in a hit-and-run crash on 11 October; he wsas 58. [F770]
_Diane Keaton_ (1946-2025), US actress in _Sleeper_ (1973), _Finding Dory_ (2016), and _Green Eggs and Ham_ (2019-2022), died on 11 October aged 79. [LP]
_Ingar Knutsen_ (1944-2025), Norwegian author and former fan who following his debut collection _Dimensjon S_ (1975) published 30 novels -- mostly sf or fantasy -- died on 24 October aged 80. [J-HH]
_Toni Korlee_ (1975-2025), Finnish fan and conrunner, who worked on many local conventions and the 2017, 2019 and 2024 Worldcons, died on 12 October. [BN]
_Jerry Leggio_ (1935-2025), US actor in _Mothman_ (2010), _Quantum Apocalypse_ (2010), _The Terror Experiment_ (2010) and others, died on 1 October aged 90. [SHS]
_June Lockhart_ (1925-2025), US actress best remembered for _Lost in Space_ (83 episodes 1965-1968 plus 1988 film remake), died on 23 October aged 100. Other genre credits include _Strange Invaders_ (1983), _Troll_ (1986) and tv series. [SG]
_Patrick Murray_ (1956-2025), UK actor in _Haunters of the Deep_ (1984) and _Vikingdom_ (2013), died on 29 September aged 68.
_Keith 'Doc' Raymond_, co-founder and fiction editor of the Savage Planets sf web platform, died on 21 October. [PS-P]
_Mark Redfield_, US actor, writer, film-maker and Poe scholar who scripted and played both title roles in _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_ (2002), edited _Poe Forevermore_ (2012) and entered the Rondo awards hall of fame (for life achievement in horror) in 2016, died on 19 October. [F770]
_Maria Riva_ (1924-2025), German-born US actress in _Scrooged_ (1988), died on 29 October aged 100. [SJ]
_Patricia Routledge_ (1929-2025), popular UK actress whose rare genre credits include _Egghead's Robot_ (1970), died on 3 October aged 96. [AW]
_Prunella Scales_ (1932-2025), much-loved UK _Fawlty Towers_ actress whose occasional genre credits include _The Boys from Brazil_ (1978), _My Friend Walter_ (1992), _Wolf_ (1994) and _The Ghost of Greville Lodge_ (2000), died on 27 October aged 93. [SB]
_Nabil Shaban_ (1953-2025), Jordanian-UK actor in _Doctor Who_ (as Sil, 6 episodes 1985-1986 plus spinoffs), _Children of Men_ (2006) and _Morticia_ (2009, which he also wrote and directed), died on 25 October aged 72. [NF]
_Samuel M. Sherman_ (1940-2025), US producer/writer whose script credits include _Blood of Frankenstein_ (1971), _Raiders of the Living Dead_ (1986) and _Dracula vs Frankenstein_ (2002), died on 29 September aged 85. [SJ]
_Drew Struzan_ (1947-2025), US artist best known for film posters, especially for Lucas or Spielberg productions, died on 13 October aged 78. Famous posters include _Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade_, _The Empire Strikes Back_ (special edition), _Back to the Future_, _The Goonies_, _The Thing_ and _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_. [SH]
_Rob Wieland_ (1978-2025), US game designer and reviewer who worked on _Shadowrun_, _Star Wars Saga Edition_, _Firefly_ and _Vampire: The Masquerade_, died on 12 October aged 47. [SHS]
_John Woodvine_ (1929-2025), UK actor in _Doctor Who_ ('The Armageddon Factor', 1979), _An American Werewolf in London_ (1981), _Knights of God_ (1987) and _Dragonworld_ (1994), died on 6 October aged 96. [AW]
_Aleksey Zolotnitsky_ (1946-2025), Russian actor who dubbed Azrael in _Dogma_ (1999) and various male roles in _Babylon 5_, died on 25 October aged 79. [AM]
THE WEAKEST LINK. _Bradley Walsh:_ 'Which biblical king is featured in Oscar Wilde's play _Salome_?' _Contestant:_ 'King Arthur.' (ITV, _The Chase_)
_Clive Myrie:_ 'According to legend, King Arthur's knights were engaged in a search for which object, said to be the drinking vessel used by Jesus at the Last Supper?' _Contestant:_ 'Excalibur.' (BBC2, _Mastermind_) [PE]
JARNDYCE VS JARNDYCE. Chris Barkley's Hugo recovery lawsuit (see _A456_, _A459_) failed to progress at a court-ordered 6 October 'trial status hearing' via Zoom, at which his nemesis Dave McCarty once again did not appear. The case continues in person on 24 November, unless McCarty needs to wash his hair instead. [F770]
But wait! The president of the Chengdu Worldcon holding company DCFCW complained that 'We have tried to work with Mr. McCarty for over 5 months on this matter' (including shipping replacement awards and parts to him in August), and announced the revocation of his authority as administrator. DCFCW and the Worldcon will themselves distribute the missing Hugos. (_Locus_, 27 October)
But wait again! Mere hours later, the DCFCW announcement was withdrawn in favour of an assurance that Honest Dave McCarty has promised to ship all those Hugos to their recipients by 9 November. [F770]
_SF ENCYCLOPEDIA_ NOTES. John Clute is now posting more or less _SFE_-related material to a promotional Substack thingy set up by Jim Machell: see sf-encyclopedia.com/news/sfe_on_substack.
The ever rising tide of AI-generated spam meant to separate writers from their money has slopped over into our email feedback, with fulsome fan letters addressed to authors with _SFE_ entries whose book (title lifted at random from entry, scraped from some other site, or simply hallucinated) desperately needs boosting via 'Amazon Optimization', book clubs, etc. Large Language Models are not yet savvy enough to deduce from their dates that, for example, David Drake, John M. Ford and Guy N. Smith are no longer with us.
FANFUNDERY. _TransAtlantic Fan Fund:_ Sandra Bond's final newsletter _Taffluorescence!_ 10 -- handing over to incoming European administrator Mikolaj Kowalewski -- is now at taff.org.uk/news/Taffluorescence10.pdf. Not since the Nielsen Haydens in the 1980s has a TAFF administration published so many newsletters. In this issue, Mikolaj Kowalewski offers a first foretaste of his trip report, and fandom is asked the big question of whether the 2026 eastbound TAFF race should run to Eastercon in the UK (Iridescence, Birmingham NEC, 3-6 April) or to Eurocon in Germany (MetropolCon, Berlin, 2-5 July). 'Let's have this public discussion.'
COURT CIRCULAR. The full legal might of Disney is now directed at Lise Soberon of France, who created the family advice app Wondermum -- represented by a trousered lady bearing no resemblance to Wonder Woman except in the eyes of Disney lawyers who say this terrible infringement must stop. Soberon: 'As far as I'm aware, DC Comics doesn't own the word "wonder".' Expensive discussions continue. (_Guardian_, 14 October) J.B. Priestley, author of _Wonder Hero_ (1933), is trembling in his grave.
THE DEAD PAST. _10 Years Ago_, due respect was shown: '"Tickets for the new _Star Wars_ film go on sale today, so we'll be talking to assorted oddballs in the queue later." (BBC Radio 5Live, 19 October)' (_Ansible_ 340, November 2015)
_20 Years Ago_, the Ig Nobel Prize for Peace was presented 'for electrically monitoring the activity of a brain cell in a locust while that locust was watching selected highlights from the movie _Star Wars_.' (_Ansible_ 220, November 2005)
_30 Years Ago_ we learned about the Avram Davidson Award: 'this, established by the late great man's estate, has a certain ironic appropriateness in being for "the best-beloved out-of-print works of imaginative fiction".' (_Ansible_ 100, November 1995)
_60 Years Ago_, Robert Bloch spilled the beans in an address to a Los Angeles LASFS anniversary meeting: 'Fandom was born in New York as the result of an illegitimate liaison between Sam Moskowitz and Don Wollheim.' (_Ratatosk_ 23, November 1965, ed. Bruce Pelz)
_DOCTOR WHO_ was dumped by its co-producer Disney for a variety of reasons, reportedly including 'too woke for Trump's USA' (_Deadline_, 30 October). The BBC will carry on alone, though with a long gap before the next episode, a Christmas 2026 special. (_Hollywood Reporter_, 28 October)
OUTRAGED LETTERS. On _A459_ obits: _Evelyn C. Leeper_ insists that Robert Redford's major genre films include the baseball classic _The Natural_ (1984) -- not listed as fantasy at IMDb, but it seems that opinions differ.
_Marcus Rowland_ notes that _Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine_ 'was released as _Dr. G and the Bikini Machine_ in the UK because there really was a Doctor Goldfoot, who happened to be our local GP at the time and was not happy at all -- don't think he actually sued, he just made enough fuss that they changed the title for the UK release to shut him up.'
RANDOM FANDOM. _Prince Andrew_, according to the grapevine, has been asked for his resignation from the Knights of St Fantony.
MAGAZINE SCENE. Julia Rios's _Worlds of Possibility_ closed down with its June 2025 issue. [L]
_On Spec_, says managing editor Diane L. Walton, will cease with the upcoming issue (volume 35 #4). Shadowpaw Press plans to revive the title as an anthology series. [P-SP/GVG]
An ominous message on the website of ebook distributors Weightless Books: 'New subscriptions to _F&SF_ have been placed on a temporary hold at the request of the publisher.' -- with a purchase button saying 'Sold Out'.
THOG'S MASTERCLASS. _Wild Hair._ 'The beginnings of a beard, like a forest fire, spread itchily on his face.' (Lavie Tidhar, _The Bookman_, 2010) [BA]
_The Hard-Boiled Vernacular._ 'Yeggman, boxman, peterman, ironworker, blaster -- there are more names for the racket that has kept wrinkles out of the lining of my interior for a good eight years than there are fleas on a cat's ear when he's being dipped to his whiskers in insecticide.' (Harry Stephen Keeler, _When Thief Meets Thief_, 1938)
_Science Dept._ '... at that altitude, it was impossible to bring water to a boil ...' '... the semirigid inflatable domes, each half an acre in diameter ...' (Allen Steele, _Coyote Rising_, 2004) [BA]
_Without Comment._ '... it feels like a personal attack on my genetic potential, the dark rotting tumour waiting to flower in my gut, like my father.' (Lauren Beukes, _Moxyland_, 2008) [BA]
### GEEKS' CORNER ###
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CONVENTION AND EVENT LINKS
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### ENDNOTES ###
PAYPAL TIP JAR THINGY. Donate to support _Ansible_, cover website costs and keep the editor happy! Or just buy his books.
https://ansible.uk/paypal.html
https://ae.ansible.uk/
https://ansible.uk/books/index.html
GROUP THEORY.
20 November 2025, evening: London Zoom meeting, third Thursday of each month. 'Please share this with people who you know typically come to the Bishop's Finger, but aren't on Facebook.'
https://bohemiancoast.medium.com/first-thursday-london-sf-fan-virtual-drinks-5232021e961f
EDITORIAL. Without a tip from Steve Holland I wouldn't have noticed that the Royal Mail increased UK postage rates again on 6 October. Inland letters unchanged, a slight rise for parcels, and international letters (i.e. the North American copies of _Ansible_) up from GBP3.20 to GBP3.50.
RUMBLINGS II. There may be a virtual First Thursday gathering on 1 January 2026, when the pub will not be open. Watch this space.
R.I.P. II -- LATE AND LAST-MINUTE REPORTS. _Flora Speer_ (1933-2024), US author whose 'Dulan's Planet' sf romance series opens with _Destiny's Lovers_ (1990), died on 15 October 2024 aged 94. [JC]
SOME LINKS from the _Ansible_ home page.
'AI Novel Tops Japan's Biggest Fiction Website, Sparking Literary Uproar'
https://decrypt.co/346608/ai-novel-tops-japans-biggest-fiction-website-sparking-literary-uproar
Anthropic Settlement List of Works -- are you in there?
https://secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup
'Thunderbird 3 owner "thought he ordered model"'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dq9w433nvo
THOG'S GOLDEN OLDIES from _Ansible_ 220, November 2005. _Words Fail Dept._ 'Flast broadcast the nonverbal equivalent of a shrug.' (_Geodesica: Ascent, Sean Williams & Shane Dix_, 2005)
_Sound of Silence Dept._ '... number three _[thug]_ leaned against the wall near the window, the automatic in his hand filling the room with a silent buzz.' (Richard Stark [Donald E. Westlake], _The Black Ice Score_, 1965)
_Dept of Born Politicians._ 'Untruth was a violin which he played like a Paganini of bunkum.' (Marlon Brando and Donald Cammell, _Fan-Tan_, 2005)
_Ansible_(R) 460 (C) David Langford, 2025. Thanks to Brian Ameringen, Lenny Bailes, Sandra Bond, John Clute, Nic Farey, _File 770_, Steve Green, Steve Holland, John-Henri Holmberg, Steve Jones, _Locus_, Andrey Meshavkin, James D. Nicoll, Brian Nisbet, Andrew I. Porter, _Private Eye_, Marcus Rowland, Karen Schaffer, _SF2 Concatenation_, Steven H Silver, Phil Stephenson-Payne, Gordon Van Gelder, Andrew Wells, and as always our Hero Distributors: Durdles Books (Birmingham SF Group), SCIS/Prophecy, and Alan Stewart (Australia).
31 October 2025
NOVEMBER 2025
From DAVID LANGFORD, 94 London Road, Reading, Berks, RG1 5AU, UK. Website news.ansible.uk. ISSN 0265-9816 (print); 1740-942X (e). Available for SAE, Force-fields, Stealth, Mort-main, Nigromancy, Mopery or Gawk.
[NET NOTE. See https://news.ansible.uk/a460.html for the nice HTML version; https://news.ansible.uk/pdf/a460.pdf for a printable PDF. Mailing list subscribe/unsubscribe information appears below -- please don't send such requests to my own e-mail address. DRL]
### THE DEEP SCHOOL ###
SIR ARTHUR C. CLARKE would surely have made some trenchant comment on this recent attribution: 'Asimov said above a certain level technology is indistinguishable from magic.' (_Alien Earth_, episode 4) [BA]
ANDREW COPE's 'Spy Dog' sf thrillers for children (Puffin Books) have been pulled from schools and bookshops because they include links to the author's former series website, which has changed hands and is now infested with 'inappropriate adult content'. (BBC, 8 October) [SF2C]
SAMUEL R. DELANY was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences on 11 October. 'It's an honor to be part of that tradition. / (The only members I'd met before were Einstein [when I was ten], and Jacqueline Woodson.)' (Facebook, 13 October)
LASZLO KRASZNAHORKAI, latest winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, has had an entry in the _SF Encyclopedia_ (by John Clute) since 2015.
GEORGE ORWELL's _Animal Farm_ and _1984_ have at last been translated into Welsh, by Anna Gruffydd, as _Foel yr Anifeiliaid_ and _Mil Naw Wyth Deg Pedwar_. The greatest challenge, says the publisher, was adapting _1984_'s Newspeak and the 'Principles of Newspeak' essay. (BBC, 27 October)
OSCAR WILDE's British Library reader status -- cancelled after his conviction and imprisonment in 1895 -- was symbolically restored in October and a new reader's card issued to his grandson. Just to make sure no Wilde impersonators can take advantage, the card expires or expired on Wilde's death date of 30 November 1900. (BBC, 16 October) [SF2C]
### CONSILIENCE ###
1 Nov [] SONIC CON UK (Sonic the Hedgehog), Novotel London West. Tickets GBP35.37 inc fee; other rates at www.sonicconuk.com.
7-9 Nov [] NOVACON 54, Palace Hotel, Buxton. GoH Emily Tesh. GBP54 reg; under-17s GBP12; under-13s free. More at novacon.uk.
8 Nov [] DOUGLAS ADAMS celebration, Royal Geographical Society, London. 7:30pm. Tickets from GBP49.95. See tinyurl.com/25ble5tz.
8 Nov [] PICTCON1, Salutation Hotel, 30-34 South St, Perth, Scotland. GBP30 reg; GBP20 concessions. See tinyurl.com/2sy4adp8.
15-16 Nov [] THOUGHT BUBBLE COMIC CONVENTION, Harrogate Convention Centre, as part of comics festival. GBP38 weekend; GBP27/day; under-12s, over-65s and carers free. See thoughtbubblefestival.com.
15-16 Nov [] YALC: UK YA LIT CON, Olympia, London, as part of comics con. See londoncomicconwinter.com/YALC/.
22 Nov [] STARS OF TIME (comics), Weston-super-Mare. GBP11.55; under-14s GBP7.21. See www.starsoftime.co.uk/weston-s-mare-winter.
22 Nov [] CYMERA WRITERS' CONFERENCE, Edinburgh/online. GBP75, concessions GBP65; online GBP55/GBP45. See www.cymerafestival.co.uk.
22 Nov [] TFN: MINI-CON (_Transformers_), Reading University. GBP40; under-18s GBP25; under-16s free. See tfnation.com/mini-con-reading-25.
23 Nov [] SF, COMIC & TOY FAIR, Leigh Sports Village. 11am-4pm. Tickets GBP3, children GBP1. See www.mseevents.co.uk/.
28-30 Nov [] MCM COMIC CON, Birmingham NEC. Tickets from GBP67. See www.mcmcomiccon.com/birmingham/en-us.html
29 Nov [] DRAGONMEET (gaming), London Excel. 9am-11pm. Tickets GBP19.20; under-18s GBP12. See www.dragonmeet.co.uk.
5 Dec [] TOLKIEN SEMINAR LECTURE, Magdalen College, Oxford. 5pm. 'No registration is required.' See tolkien50.web.ox.ac.uk.
27 Mar - 23 Aug 2026 [] FAIRY TALES (exhibition), British Library, London. See events.bl.uk/exhibitions/fairy-tales.
12 Apr 2026 [] STARS OF TIME (comics), LC, Swansea. 10am-4:30pm. GBP11.55 (under-14s GBP7.21) at www.starsoftime.co.uk/swanseacomiccon.
8-9 May 2026 [] NORNCON, Hilton Lanyon Place, Belfast. GoH Anna Spark Smith, Adrian Tchaikovsky. GBP35 reg; GBP20 concessions. Online registration is open at norncon.org.
22-24 May 2026 [] MCM COMIC CON, London ExCel. Tickets from GBP97; day rates at www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/en-us.html.
29-30 May 2026 [] _LOLLY WILLOWES_ centenary conference (Sylvia Townsend Warner Society), University College, London. Call for papers with 30 November deadline at townsendwarner.com/the-society/news.
2-4 Oct 2026 [] OCTOCON, Clayton Hotel, Cork, Ireland (_new venue_) and online. Registration 'will open soon' at octocon.com.
2-4 Oct 2026 [] LAKES INTERNATIONAL COMIC ART FESTIVAL, Bowness-on-Windermere. Ticket sales awaited at www.comicartfestival.com.
26-29 Mar 2027 [] UNCONFINED (Eastercon), Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow. GBP90 reg, GBP65 concessions, GBP25 under-27s, GBP5 under-13s -- _these rates are expected to rise on 1 December._ See easterconglasgow.org.
2-6 Sep 2027 [] MONTREAL WORLDCON 2027, Montreal, Canada. All rates CAD: adults $250 (inc $70 WSFS membership), under-31s $200 (ditto), under-18s $90, under-13s $45, accompanied under-8s free. _Rates are expected to rise in December 2025._ See montreal2027.ca.
RUMBLINGS. _Worldcon 2029:_ the Dublin bid, aiming for 2-6 August, has a website at dublin2029.ie and another at linktr.ee/dublin2029.
### INFINITELY IMPROBABLE ###
THE ILLUMINATI BROTHERHOOD invites your editor to sign up: 'Whether your goals lie in business, politics, the arts, or personal empowerment, becoming a member of the Illuminati will grant you access to life-changing opportunities. Upon initiation, you will receive countless benefits, including profound knowledge, influential global connections, and an immediate cash reward of $2.5 million USD to recognize your commitment to the Brotherhood.' (Email from Brazil, 2 October)
AWARDS. _Elgin_ (SFPA poetry book). BOOK _Mexicans on the Moon_ ed. Pedro Iniguez. CHAPBOOK _The Inca Weaver's Tales_ by Katherine Quevedo.
_Harvey Hall of Fame_ (comics, life achievement): John Byrne, Peter David, Patrick McDonnell, Wendy and Richard Pini, Barbara Shermund.
_Lambda_ (LGBTQ) sf category: _Metal from Heaven_ by August Clarke.
_Le Guin Prize for Fiction:_ _Rakesfall_ by Vajra Chandrasekera.
_Prix Actusf de l'Uchronie_ (France), graphic category: the _Grandville_ series by 'le tres _british_ Bryan Talbot'. (Onirik.net)
_Rhysling_ (SFPA poem): LONG 'The Blackthorn' by Mary Soon Lee (_Dreams & Nightmares_). SHORT 'Lost Ark' by F. J. Bergmann (_Space & Time_).
_Sturgeon_ (short story): 'The Carcossa Pattern' by Conrad Loyer (_Fiyah_). [F770]
IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. 'The body is a constant construction site that you need to maintain -- or you fall apart like in _Death Becomes Her_.' (Sophie Hermann, _London Standard_, 17 September) [PE]
R.I.P. _Tony Adams_ (1940-2025), UK _Crossroads_ actor also in _Doctor Who_ ('The Green Death', 1973) and _Aladdin_ (1986), died on 24 October aged 84. [SG]
_Alicia Bonet_ (1947-2025), Mexican actress in _Los jinetes de la bruja_ (1966) and others, died on 26 October aged 78. [SJ ]
_Martine Brochard_ (1944-2025), French actress long resident in Italy who co-starred in _Il medium_ (1980) and whose books for children include _Zaffiretto il vampiretto e altri racconti_ (1999), died on 18 October aged 81. [SJ]
_Jackie Burch_, US casting director whose many films include _Weird Science_ (1985), _The Running Man_ (1987), _Judge Dredd_ (1995) and _The Hunger Games_ (2012), died on 12 October aged 74. [AIP]
_Michele Burke_ (1949-2025), Oscar-winning Irish makeup artist whose films include _Quest for Fire_ (1981), _Bram Stoker's Dracula_ (1992), _Interview with the Vampire_ (1994), _The Cell_ (2000) and _Minority Report_ (2002), died on 26 September aged 75. [AIP]
_Grant Canfield_, FAAn Award-winning US fan artist whose work appeared in many zines including _Locus_ and _Science Fiction Review_, died on 21 October. He was nominated seven times for the fan artist Hugo in the 1970s and received the Rotsler Award for life achievement in 1999. [LB]
_Tony Caunter_ (1937-2025), UK _EastEnders_ actor in _The Mind of Mr Soames_ (1970), _The Asphyx_ (1972), _The National Union of Space People_ (2016) and genre tv series including _Doctor Who_ (10 episodes 1965-1983), died on 13 October aged 88. [SJ]
_Robert R. Chase_ (1948-2025), US author of many short stories since his 1984 debut in _Analog_, and three sf novels beginning with _The Game of Fox and Lion_ (1986), died on 20 October. [SHS]
_Ron Dean_ (1938-2025), US actor in _The Dark Knight_ (2008), died on 5 October aged 87.
_Samantha Eggar_ (1939-2025), UK actress in _Dr Dolittle_ (1967), _The Brood_ (1979), _Prince Valiant_ (65 episodes 1991-1993), _The Phantom_ (1996), _The Astronaut's Wife_ (1999) and others, died on 15 October aged 86, [SG]
_Terry A. Garey_ (1948-2025), US fan and poet (some work collected in _The Cat Star and Other Poems_, 2022) who edited two sf verse anthologies, died on 6 October aged 77. [KS] Highlights of my one visit to Minneapolis included the fine fannish hospitality of Terry and Denny Lien (1945-2023).
_Barbara Gips_ (1936-2025), creator of film advertising taglines -- most famously 'In space no one can hear you scream.' for _Alien_ -- died on 16 October aged 89. [AIP]
_James A. Hetley_ (1947-2025), US author of the fantasy series 'The Summer Country' (from 2002), 'Stonefort' (2005) and 'Bladesmith' (2012, as James A. Burton), died on 8 October after a bike crash; he was 78. [JDN]
_Ronald T. Jones_, US author of short sf/fantasy since 2010 (as well as military adventure novels), was killed in a hit-and-run crash on 11 October; he wsas 58. [F770]
_Diane Keaton_ (1946-2025), US actress in _Sleeper_ (1973), _Finding Dory_ (2016), and _Green Eggs and Ham_ (2019-2022), died on 11 October aged 79. [LP]
_Ingar Knutsen_ (1944-2025), Norwegian author and former fan who following his debut collection _Dimensjon S_ (1975) published 30 novels -- mostly sf or fantasy -- died on 24 October aged 80. [J-HH]
_Toni Korlee_ (1975-2025), Finnish fan and conrunner, who worked on many local conventions and the 2017, 2019 and 2024 Worldcons, died on 12 October. [BN]
_Jerry Leggio_ (1935-2025), US actor in _Mothman_ (2010), _Quantum Apocalypse_ (2010), _The Terror Experiment_ (2010) and others, died on 1 October aged 90. [SHS]
_June Lockhart_ (1925-2025), US actress best remembered for _Lost in Space_ (83 episodes 1965-1968 plus 1988 film remake), died on 23 October aged 100. Other genre credits include _Strange Invaders_ (1983), _Troll_ (1986) and tv series. [SG]
_Patrick Murray_ (1956-2025), UK actor in _Haunters of the Deep_ (1984) and _Vikingdom_ (2013), died on 29 September aged 68.
_Keith 'Doc' Raymond_, co-founder and fiction editor of the Savage Planets sf web platform, died on 21 October. [PS-P]
_Mark Redfield_, US actor, writer, film-maker and Poe scholar who scripted and played both title roles in _Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde_ (2002), edited _Poe Forevermore_ (2012) and entered the Rondo awards hall of fame (for life achievement in horror) in 2016, died on 19 October. [F770]
_Maria Riva_ (1924-2025), German-born US actress in _Scrooged_ (1988), died on 29 October aged 100. [SJ]
_Patricia Routledge_ (1929-2025), popular UK actress whose rare genre credits include _Egghead's Robot_ (1970), died on 3 October aged 96. [AW]
_Prunella Scales_ (1932-2025), much-loved UK _Fawlty Towers_ actress whose occasional genre credits include _The Boys from Brazil_ (1978), _My Friend Walter_ (1992), _Wolf_ (1994) and _The Ghost of Greville Lodge_ (2000), died on 27 October aged 93. [SB]
_Nabil Shaban_ (1953-2025), Jordanian-UK actor in _Doctor Who_ (as Sil, 6 episodes 1985-1986 plus spinoffs), _Children of Men_ (2006) and _Morticia_ (2009, which he also wrote and directed), died on 25 October aged 72. [NF]
_Samuel M. Sherman_ (1940-2025), US producer/writer whose script credits include _Blood of Frankenstein_ (1971), _Raiders of the Living Dead_ (1986) and _Dracula vs Frankenstein_ (2002), died on 29 September aged 85. [SJ]
_Drew Struzan_ (1947-2025), US artist best known for film posters, especially for Lucas or Spielberg productions, died on 13 October aged 78. Famous posters include _Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade_, _The Empire Strikes Back_ (special edition), _Back to the Future_, _The Goonies_, _The Thing_ and _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone_. [SH]
_Rob Wieland_ (1978-2025), US game designer and reviewer who worked on _Shadowrun_, _Star Wars Saga Edition_, _Firefly_ and _Vampire: The Masquerade_, died on 12 October aged 47. [SHS]
_John Woodvine_ (1929-2025), UK actor in _Doctor Who_ ('The Armageddon Factor', 1979), _An American Werewolf in London_ (1981), _Knights of God_ (1987) and _Dragonworld_ (1994), died on 6 October aged 96. [AW]
_Aleksey Zolotnitsky_ (1946-2025), Russian actor who dubbed Azrael in _Dogma_ (1999) and various male roles in _Babylon 5_, died on 25 October aged 79. [AM]
THE WEAKEST LINK. _Bradley Walsh:_ 'Which biblical king is featured in Oscar Wilde's play _Salome_?' _Contestant:_ 'King Arthur.' (ITV, _The Chase_)
_Clive Myrie:_ 'According to legend, King Arthur's knights were engaged in a search for which object, said to be the drinking vessel used by Jesus at the Last Supper?' _Contestant:_ 'Excalibur.' (BBC2, _Mastermind_) [PE]
JARNDYCE VS JARNDYCE. Chris Barkley's Hugo recovery lawsuit (see _A456_, _A459_) failed to progress at a court-ordered 6 October 'trial status hearing' via Zoom, at which his nemesis Dave McCarty once again did not appear. The case continues in person on 24 November, unless McCarty needs to wash his hair instead. [F770]
But wait! The president of the Chengdu Worldcon holding company DCFCW complained that 'We have tried to work with Mr. McCarty for over 5 months on this matter' (including shipping replacement awards and parts to him in August), and announced the revocation of his authority as administrator. DCFCW and the Worldcon will themselves distribute the missing Hugos. (_Locus_, 27 October)
But wait again! Mere hours later, the DCFCW announcement was withdrawn in favour of an assurance that Honest Dave McCarty has promised to ship all those Hugos to their recipients by 9 November. [F770]
_SF ENCYCLOPEDIA_ NOTES. John Clute is now posting more or less _SFE_-related material to a promotional Substack thingy set up by Jim Machell: see sf-encyclopedia.com/news/sfe_on_substack.
The ever rising tide of AI-generated spam meant to separate writers from their money has slopped over into our email feedback, with fulsome fan letters addressed to authors with _SFE_ entries whose book (title lifted at random from entry, scraped from some other site, or simply hallucinated) desperately needs boosting via 'Amazon Optimization', book clubs, etc. Large Language Models are not yet savvy enough to deduce from their dates that, for example, David Drake, John M. Ford and Guy N. Smith are no longer with us.
FANFUNDERY. _TransAtlantic Fan Fund:_ Sandra Bond's final newsletter _Taffluorescence!_ 10 -- handing over to incoming European administrator Mikolaj Kowalewski -- is now at taff.org.uk/news/Taffluorescence10.pdf. Not since the Nielsen Haydens in the 1980s has a TAFF administration published so many newsletters. In this issue, Mikolaj Kowalewski offers a first foretaste of his trip report, and fandom is asked the big question of whether the 2026 eastbound TAFF race should run to Eastercon in the UK (Iridescence, Birmingham NEC, 3-6 April) or to Eurocon in Germany (MetropolCon, Berlin, 2-5 July). 'Let's have this public discussion.'
COURT CIRCULAR. The full legal might of Disney is now directed at Lise Soberon of France, who created the family advice app Wondermum -- represented by a trousered lady bearing no resemblance to Wonder Woman except in the eyes of Disney lawyers who say this terrible infringement must stop. Soberon: 'As far as I'm aware, DC Comics doesn't own the word "wonder".' Expensive discussions continue. (_Guardian_, 14 October) J.B. Priestley, author of _Wonder Hero_ (1933), is trembling in his grave.
THE DEAD PAST. _10 Years Ago_, due respect was shown: '"Tickets for the new _Star Wars_ film go on sale today, so we'll be talking to assorted oddballs in the queue later." (BBC Radio 5Live, 19 October)' (_Ansible_ 340, November 2015)
_20 Years Ago_, the Ig Nobel Prize for Peace was presented 'for electrically monitoring the activity of a brain cell in a locust while that locust was watching selected highlights from the movie _Star Wars_.' (_Ansible_ 220, November 2005)
_30 Years Ago_ we learned about the Avram Davidson Award: 'this, established by the late great man's estate, has a certain ironic appropriateness in being for "the best-beloved out-of-print works of imaginative fiction".' (_Ansible_ 100, November 1995)
_60 Years Ago_, Robert Bloch spilled the beans in an address to a Los Angeles LASFS anniversary meeting: 'Fandom was born in New York as the result of an illegitimate liaison between Sam Moskowitz and Don Wollheim.' (_Ratatosk_ 23, November 1965, ed. Bruce Pelz)
_DOCTOR WHO_ was dumped by its co-producer Disney for a variety of reasons, reportedly including 'too woke for Trump's USA' (_Deadline_, 30 October). The BBC will carry on alone, though with a long gap before the next episode, a Christmas 2026 special. (_Hollywood Reporter_, 28 October)
OUTRAGED LETTERS. On _A459_ obits: _Evelyn C. Leeper_ insists that Robert Redford's major genre films include the baseball classic _The Natural_ (1984) -- not listed as fantasy at IMDb, but it seems that opinions differ.
_Marcus Rowland_ notes that _Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine_ 'was released as _Dr. G and the Bikini Machine_ in the UK because there really was a Doctor Goldfoot, who happened to be our local GP at the time and was not happy at all -- don't think he actually sued, he just made enough fuss that they changed the title for the UK release to shut him up.'
RANDOM FANDOM. _Prince Andrew_, according to the grapevine, has been asked for his resignation from the Knights of St Fantony.
MAGAZINE SCENE. Julia Rios's _Worlds of Possibility_ closed down with its June 2025 issue. [L]
_On Spec_, says managing editor Diane L. Walton, will cease with the upcoming issue (volume 35 #4). Shadowpaw Press plans to revive the title as an anthology series. [P-SP/GVG]
An ominous message on the website of ebook distributors Weightless Books: 'New subscriptions to _F&SF_ have been placed on a temporary hold at the request of the publisher.' -- with a purchase button saying 'Sold Out'.
THOG'S MASTERCLASS. _Wild Hair._ 'The beginnings of a beard, like a forest fire, spread itchily on his face.' (Lavie Tidhar, _The Bookman_, 2010) [BA]
_The Hard-Boiled Vernacular._ 'Yeggman, boxman, peterman, ironworker, blaster -- there are more names for the racket that has kept wrinkles out of the lining of my interior for a good eight years than there are fleas on a cat's ear when he's being dipped to his whiskers in insecticide.' (Harry Stephen Keeler, _When Thief Meets Thief_, 1938)
_Science Dept._ '... at that altitude, it was impossible to bring water to a boil ...' '... the semirigid inflatable domes, each half an acre in diameter ...' (Allen Steele, _Coyote Rising_, 2004) [BA]
_Without Comment._ '... it feels like a personal attack on my genetic potential, the dark rotting tumour waiting to flower in my gut, like my father.' (Lauren Beukes, _Moxyland_, 2008) [BA]
### GEEKS' CORNER ###
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CONVENTION AND EVENT LINKS
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London -- https://news.ansible.uk/london.html
Overseas -- https://news.ansible.uk/conlisti.html [no longer updated]
### ENDNOTES ###
PAYPAL TIP JAR THINGY. Donate to support _Ansible_, cover website costs and keep the editor happy! Or just buy his books.
https://ansible.uk/paypal.html
https://ae.ansible.uk/
https://ansible.uk/books/index.html
GROUP THEORY.
20 November 2025, evening: London Zoom meeting, third Thursday of each month. 'Please share this with people who you know typically come to the Bishop's Finger, but aren't on Facebook.'
https://bohemiancoast.medium.com/first-thursday-london-sf-fan-virtual-drinks-5232021e961f
EDITORIAL. Without a tip from Steve Holland I wouldn't have noticed that the Royal Mail increased UK postage rates again on 6 October. Inland letters unchanged, a slight rise for parcels, and international letters (i.e. the North American copies of _Ansible_) up from GBP3.20 to GBP3.50.
RUMBLINGS II. There may be a virtual First Thursday gathering on 1 January 2026, when the pub will not be open. Watch this space.
R.I.P. II -- LATE AND LAST-MINUTE REPORTS. _Flora Speer_ (1933-2024), US author whose 'Dulan's Planet' sf romance series opens with _Destiny's Lovers_ (1990), died on 15 October 2024 aged 94. [JC]
SOME LINKS from the _Ansible_ home page.
'AI Novel Tops Japan's Biggest Fiction Website, Sparking Literary Uproar'
https://decrypt.co/346608/ai-novel-tops-japans-biggest-fiction-website-sparking-literary-uproar
Anthropic Settlement List of Works -- are you in there?
https://secure.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com/lookup
'Thunderbird 3 owner "thought he ordered model"'
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1dq9w433nvo
THOG'S GOLDEN OLDIES from _Ansible_ 220, November 2005. _Words Fail Dept._ 'Flast broadcast the nonverbal equivalent of a shrug.' (_Geodesica: Ascent, Sean Williams & Shane Dix_, 2005)
_Sound of Silence Dept._ '... number three _[thug]_ leaned against the wall near the window, the automatic in his hand filling the room with a silent buzz.' (Richard Stark [Donald E. Westlake], _The Black Ice Score_, 1965)
_Dept of Born Politicians._ 'Untruth was a violin which he played like a Paganini of bunkum.' (Marlon Brando and Donald Cammell, _Fan-Tan_, 2005)
_Ansible_(R) 460 (C) David Langford, 2025. Thanks to Brian Ameringen, Lenny Bailes, Sandra Bond, John Clute, Nic Farey, _File 770_, Steve Green, Steve Holland, John-Henri Holmberg, Steve Jones, _Locus_, Andrey Meshavkin, James D. Nicoll, Brian Nisbet, Andrew I. Porter, _Private Eye_, Marcus Rowland, Karen Schaffer, _SF2 Concatenation_, Steven H Silver, Phil Stephenson-Payne, Gordon Van Gelder, Andrew Wells, and as always our Hero Distributors: Durdles Books (Birmingham SF Group), SCIS/Prophecy, and Alan Stewart (Australia).
31 October 2025
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