Ansible 466 -- May 2026
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May 1, 2026, 4:05:44 PM (6 days ago) May 1
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ANSIBLE(R) 466
MAY 2026
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, or the latest information on what, this season, is gromgorru.
[NET NOTE. See https://news.ansible.uk/a466.html for the nice HTML version; https://news.ansible.uk/pdf/a466.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]
IRIDESCENCE. The 2026 UK Eastercon in the Birmingham NEC Hilton has ... happened!
_Future Eastercons._ 2028 will be CONtract with the same venue: see events list. The 2029 bid Chronologicon (Crowne Plaza Hotel, Chester, 30 March - 2 April) was launched, with website chronologicon.uk (not yet live). A 2030 BSFA bid -- NEC hotel again -- hopes to combine the event with Eurocon.
_BSFA Awards:_ NOVEL _When There Are Wolves Again_ by E.J. Swift. SHORTER FICTION (novella/novelette): 'The Apologists' by Tade Thompson (_Clarkesworld_). SHORT 'Godzilla as a Young Man Named Mike' by E.M. Faulds (_PodCastle_). ANTHOLOGY _Blood in the Bricks_ ed. Neil Williamson. FICTION FOR YOUNGER READERS _Doctor Who: The Robot Revolution_ by Una McCormack. NONFICTION (LONG) _Colourfields: Writing About Writing About Science Fiction_ by Paul Kincaid. NONFICTION (SHORT) 'Spec Fic and the Politics of Identity: Finding the Self' by Eugen Bacon (_Strange Horizons_). TRANSLATED SHORT FICTION Anita Moskat for 'Liecraft' (_Apex_). ARTWORK _Fractal Series_ (12-book tessellated cover) by Nick Wells. AUDIO FICTION _The Dex Legacy Series 3_ by Emily Inkpen.
_Doc Weir Award:_ James 'Jt' Turner.
_The Fiery Chicken_ (con newsletter) can be read at eastercon2026.org/newsletter.
The fan funds auction raised about GBP860 of the total GBP1,100+ reported by the League of Fan Funds. [SB/CB]
Attendance: 813 fans collected their badges in person, there were 46 virtual logins,and the total membership was 940. The whole thing was kept going by more than 100 volunteers. (_Post Convention Update_, 17 April) Sharing the NEC hotel with an anime event (HaruhiCon; see haruhicon.co.uk) worked very well, with the reciprocal access to dealers' rooms etc. appealing to members of both. _HaruhiCon secretary:_ 'The Eastercon guys are so nice [...] This is us but when we're older!'
### THE BLUE GUUL ###
RAY BRADBURY is yet again remembered in the naming of a new SF bookshop in Hay-on-Wye: Bookshop 451 (www.bookshop451.co.uk).
C.J. CHERRYH sadly announced her retirement from writing fiction: 'I drop stitches. Not many. No problems with daily life or doing creative stuff or enjoying life in general. But the ability to control narrative is just not what it was, and it's just not going to be there.' (Facebook, 25 April)
URSULA K. LE GUIN now has her own font, designed by Flora de Carvalho of Brazil and called 'Ursula'. (Letterform Archive, 27 March) [JDB]
STEPHENIE MEYER's sparkly vampire romance _Twilight_ is ranked number one in a Goodreads poll of The Worst Books of All Time. (_Parade_, 1 April) [PDF] Other 'Twilight Saga' instalments occupy the next three slots, with _Fifty Shades of Grey_ at #5 and L. Ron Hubbard's _Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought_ at #8. By way of context, further down this list of 100 you can find _The Golden Compass_, _Animal Farm_, _Lord of the Flies_, _Fahrenheit 451_, _Dune_, _1984_ and _Brave New World_. (Goodreads, ongoing) Have these youngsters never studied the classic Badger Books?
MARY SHELLEY became another victim of the AI backlash when a report by you-know-what announced that the opening of chapter 5 of _Frankenstein_ is '100% AI GPT'-generated. (Facebook, 4 April) [ChB] It has also been revealed that _Hamlet_ consists largely of quotations.
ANDY WEIR was mentioned in a rare _Private Eye_ sf film review, of _Project Hail Mary_: 'Sci-fi novelist Andy Weir has carved out an intriguing and lucrative niche for himself selling Hollywood upbeat tales about annoying tw*ts who get cast adrift in space. In [...] _The Martian_, Matt Damon was abandoned in a barren, hostile terrain. You'd think this would be a horrific ordeal, but he was so upbeat, go-getting and obnoxiously perky you half suspected they left him there on purpose.' (3 April)
### CONTUMACITY ###
2-3 May [] PORTMEIRION STEAMPUNK, Portmeirion. Day tickets _at the gate only_: GBP15.50; under-15s GBP11; under-5s free. See steampunk.wales.
2-3 May [] PORTSMOUTH COMIC CON, Guildhall, Portsmouth. Tickets GBP37 plus fee; concessions and day rates at portsmouthcomiccon.com.
8-9 May [] NORNCON, Hilton Lanyon Place, Belfast. GBP35 reg; GBP20 concessions. Online registration at norncon.org.
9-10 May [] LAWLESS (UK comics), Hilton Doubletree, Bristol. Weekend tickets GBP75.60; GBP37.80 per day. See lawlesscomiccon.co.uk.
13-15 May [] GIFCON (U of Glasgow conference), 'The Technologies of the Fantastic', online. See tinyurl.com/yfdbvdwj.
13-17 May [] SCI-FI LONDON (film), Rich Mix, Shoreditch, London. 'All access' pass GBP120; other options at sci-fi-london.com.
16-17 May [] AMIKON (anime/manga), Dublin City University Glasnevin Campus. Euro25 reg; Euro15 per day. See amikon.me.
19 May [] TOLKIEN LECTURE by Brandon Sanderson, Oxford Town Hall, Oxford. 6pm. See tolkienlecture.org.
22-24 May [] MCM COMIC CON, London ExCel. Tickets from GBP97; day rates at www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/en-us.html.
SOLD OUT 22-24 May [] SATELLITE 9, Clayton Hotel, Glasgow. GBP75 reg; under-25s GBP60; under-18s GBP20; other rates at nine.satellitex.org.uk.
23 or 24 May [] PETER CUSHING CELEBRATION, Whitstable. GBP75 for either day -- _same programme both days_. See renownfilms.co.uk.
23-24 May [] STEAM TRAINS AND FAIRYTALES (steampunk), Midland Railway Trust, Butterley. See www.ministryofsteampunk.com.
29-30 May [] _LOLLY WILLOWES_ centenary conference (Sylvia Townsend Warner Society), University College, London. GBP75 reg or GBP50 concessions _booked in advance only_. See townsendwarner.com/the-society/news.
29-31 May [] UK GAMES EXPO, Birmingham NEC. GBP54; under-17s GBP36; other rates at www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk.
30-31 May [] SAREHOLE FESTIVAL (Tolkien Society), Sarehole Recreation Ground, Birmingham. Replaces the ailing (non-TS) Middle-earth Festival which was cancelled in 2025 with no explanation given. More awaited at www.tolkiensociety.org/events/sarehole-festival-2026.
5-7 Jun [] CYMERA -- Scotland's Festival of SF, Fantasy & Horror Writing, Edinburgh and online. Rates at www.cymerafestival.co.uk.
6-7 Jun [] HORRORCON UK, Magna, Sheffield. Weekend ticket GBP63; early entry GBP78; other rates at horrorconuk.com.
27-31 Aug [] FRIGHTFEST (film), Leicester Square & West End Odeons, London. Tickets from mid-June at frightfest.co.uk/filmsandevents.
9-13 Sep [] BRANDYWINE FESTIVAL ('immersive experience' hobbit LARP), Weston Park, Telford. Tickets GBP229; price rises with every 400 sales. For costumed role-players only. See thebrandywinefestival.com.
3 Oct [] OH!CON, Stornoway, Lewis and Harris, Outer Hebrides. Ticket sales awaited at ohcon.info.
30-31 Oct [] FRIGHTFEST HALLOWEEN (film), Odeon Luxe, West End, London. Tickets later this year at frightfest.co.uk/filmsandevents.
26-29 Mar 2027 [] UNCONFINED (Eastercon), Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow. _New rates from 1 May. GBP120 reg (GBP80 concessions); GBP40 (GBP25) virtual; GBP30 under-27s_; GBP10 under-13s. See easterconglasgow.org.
3-4 Apr 2027 [] HORRORFIED 3 (horror): venue anouncement and ticket sales awaited at horrorfied.co.uk.
10 Apr 2027 [] BEDFORD WHO CHARITY CON (_Doctor Who_), King's House, Ampthill Road, Bedford, MK42 9AZ. 10am-5:30pm. Tickets GBP56.75; under-15s GBP26.25. See bedfordwhocharitycon.co.uk.
17-18 Apr 2027 [] SCI-FI SCARBOROUGH (multimedia), The Spa, Scarborough. Weekend pass GBP35; other rates at scifiscarborough.co.uk.
28-31 May 2027 [] JODIWORLD (Jodi Taylor), Leonardo Hotel, Hinckley Island. GBP140 reg; GBP40 supp; under-13s free. See jodiworld.co.uk.
23-26 Sep 2027 [] EUROCON LISBON 2027, Lisbon, Portugal. Euro60 reg. Registration is open at forumfantastico.org/eurocon/.
14-17 Apr 2028 [] CONTRACT (Eastercon), Birmingham NEC Hilton. GBP90 reg; GBP50 concessions; GBP40 supp/online. Guests include Adam Roberts, Aliya Whiteley and Chris Lintott (science). See eastercon2028.org.
RUMBLINGS. _Edinburgh Horror Festival:_ there will be no October 2026 event, but perhaps a return in 2027. See www.edhorrorfest.co.uk/hiatus.
### INFINITELY IMPROBABLE ###
SIMILE CORNER. '"GB News landed like an asteroid and is wiping out every dinosaur and detractor in its way," declared the station's editorial director Michael Booker last month, boasting of his channel's ability to render the majority of life extinct and make the planet uninhabitable for thousands of years.' (_Private Eye_, 3 April)
AWARDS. _Compton Crook_ (debut): _The Book of Lost Hours_ by Hayley Gelfuso.
_Hans Christian Andersen_ (children's): WRITING Michael Rosen. ILLUSTRATION Cai Gao.
_Horror Writers Association_ life achievement: Jonathan Maberry and Lisa Morton.
_Philip K. Dick_ (pb original): _Outlaw Planet_ by M.R. Carey.
_SFPA Grand Master_ (poetry): Ruth Berman.
_SFWA Infinity Award_ (posthumous Grand Master): Roger Zelazny.
AS OTHERS EXPLAIN US. 'Bjo _[Trimble]_ became famous for her fashion shows at the World Science Fiction Convention, which was an early form of Comicon.' (BBC Future, 18 July 2025) [LD]
R.I.P. _Mario Adorf_ (1930-2026), Swiss-German actor in _When Women Lost Their Tails_ (1972), _The Tin Drum_ (1979), _Little Dodo_ (2008) and others, died on 8 April aged 95. [SJ]
_Desmond Barrit_ (1944-2026), UK actor in _Alice Through the Looking Glass_ (1998), _A Christmas Carol_ (1999) and the long-running West End musical _Wicked_ (as one of several who played the Wizard), died on 21 March aged 81. [AIP]
_Gerry Conway_ (1952-2026), US comics writer for Marvel (Spider-Man; co-creator of the Punisher) and DC (Justice League), sf/fantasy novelist, screenwriter and producer, died on 27 April aged 73. [RH]
_Mariclare Costello_ (1936-2026), US _Waltons_ actress in _Let's Scare Jessica To Death_ (1971) and _The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension_ (1984), died on 17 April aged 90. [AIP]
_Vadim Denisov_ (1959-2026), Russian sf author who published 27 novels from 2003, died on 20 April aged 66. [AM]
_Alla Dokuchayeva_ (1935-2026), Russian author of the sf novel _Sud Bozhiy_ (_God's Judgement_, 2005), died on 9 April. [AM]
_Richard Donat_ (1941-2026), Canadian actor in genre tv series including _Lexx_ (1996-1997) and the Stephen King-based _Haven_ (61 episodes 2010-2015), died on 28 March aged 84. [SJ]
_Margaret Edgar_, Scots fan active in various media fandoms in the 1970s and 1980s, died on 12 April. [O]
_Rosemary Edghill_ (formerly eluki bes shahar; 1956-2026), US sf/fantasy author whose first novel was _Hellflower_ (1991), opening a space opera trilogy, and who published much more -- collaborating with Andre Norton and others -- died on 7 April aged 69. [SL]
_Stan Eling_, UK fan active from 1971 and long associated with the Birmingham SF Group, who worked on Novacons (committee member in 1976 and 1981) and the 1978 Eastercon committee, died on 3 April aged 90. [RP] I gratefully remember Stan making me feel welcome at my first Novacon in 1973.
_John Flanagan_ (1944-2026), Australian author of the lengthy 'Ranger's Apprentice' children's fantasy series that began with _The Ruins of Gorlan_ (2004) and continued for 20 years, died on 7 February aged 81. [AIP]
_Boris Goloshchapov_ (1949-2026), Russian actor who dubbed the anime films _Princess Mononoke_, _Cowboy Bebop: The Movie_ and _Rebuild of Evangelion_ 1-2, died on 15 April aged 76. [AM]
_Yuri Gorbachev_ (1961-2026), Belarussian author who wrote in Russian as Yuri Yulov-- novels _Piyany materik_ (_Drunken Continent_, 1999) and _Po doroge na piknik_ (_On the Way to the Picnic_, 2012) -- and in Belarussian as Yuras Neratok, with story collections in both languages, died on 10 April. [AM]
_John Guidry_ (1944-2026), US fan who was a charter member of the New Orleans SF Association (1967), founded the Edgar Rice Burroughs-centred ERB-apa in 1984 and chaired the 1988 Worldcon, died on 10 April aged 81. [AIP]
_Joy Harmon_ (1940-2026), US actress in _The Loved One_ (1965), _Village of the Giants_ (1965) and genre tv series, died on 15 April aged 85.
_Rif Hutton_ (1955-2026), US actor in _Wavelength_ (1983), _The Borrower_, (1991), _Star Trek: Generations_ (1994), _The Thirteenth Floor_ (1999) and others, died on 18 April aged 70. [SJ]
_Sid Krofft_ (1929-2026), US creator with his brother Marty (1937-2023) of the tv series _H.R. Pufnstuf_ (1969), _Land of the Lost_ (1974-1977), _Far Out Space Nuts_ (1975-1976) and others, died on 10 April aged 96. [AIP]
_Steve Maslow_ (1944-2026), US sound engineer for many genre films, who won sound-editing Oscars for _The Empire Strikes Back_ (1980) and _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ (1981), died on 27 April aged 81. [SHS]
_Yelena Mikheeva_ (1951-2026) Russian actress in the children's urban fantasy film _Dva dnya chudes_ (_Two Days of Miracles_, 1970) died on 26 April aged 74. [AM]
_Tera Mitchel_ (1951-2026), US filker, filk organizer and promoter who produced several compilation albums, died on 29 March aged 74. [F770]
_Desmond Morris_ (1928-2026), UK ethologist and zoologist best known for pop-science works like _The Naked Ape_ (1967), whose one novel was the sf _Inrock_ (1983), died on 19 April aged 98.
_Alexander Morton_ (1945-2026), UK actor in _Valhalla Rising_ (2009), who played Jekyll & Hyde (both roles) and Dracula for BBC Radio, plus voice work in genre videogames including _The Witcher_, died on 14 April aged 81.
_Patrick Muldoon_ (1968-2026), US actor in _Dead Weekend_ (1995), _Starship Troopers_ (1997), _Ice Spiders_ (2007), _Little Dead Rotting Hood_ (2016) and others, died on 19 April aged 57. [SJ]
_John Nolan_ (1938-2026), UK actor in _Doomwatch_ (1970-1971), _Terror_ (1978), _Batman Begins_ (2005) and _The Dark Knight Rises_ (2010), died on 11 April aged 87. [LP]
_Arne Olsen_, US screenwriter for _Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie_ (1995), _All Dogs Go to Heaven 2_ (1996), _Repeaters_ (2010) and others, died on 4 April aged 64. [AIP]
_Angela Pleasence_ (1941-2026), UK actress in _From Beyond the Grave_ (1974), _A Christmas Carol_ (1984), _Your Highness_ (2011) and genre tv series, died on 10 April aged 84. [SJ]
_Paul Seed_ (1947-2026), UK tv director and actor in _Doctor Who_ (4 episodes 1978), died on 7 March aged 78. [AIP]
_Gordon Snell_ (1932-2026), UK children's author whose books include the sf 'Tom's Amazing Machine' series (1988-1992), died in April aged 93.
_Len Strazewski_ (1955-2026), US comics writer who worked on DC's _Starman_, _Flash_, _Justice Society of America_ and others, died on 27 April aged 71.
_Roger Sweet_ (1935-2026), US toy designer who as a lead designer at Mattel co-created the _He-Man_/_Masters of the Universe_ action figures (1982), died on 28 April aged 91.
_Michele Massimo Tarantini_ (1942-2026, aka 'Michael E. Lemick'), Italian director and co-writer of _Sangraal, la spada di fuoco_ (1982) and _Cannibal Ferox II_ (1985), died on 3 April aged 83. [SJ]
_Thomas Tessier_ (1947-2026), US horror and dark fantasy author of several novels beginning with _The Fates_ (1978), plus five collections, died on 26 March aged 78. [GVG/LP]
_Ian Watson_ (1943-2026), prolific and erudite UK author active from 1969, whose first novel _The Embedding_ (1973) was much discussed and whose second _The Jonah Kit_ (1975) won a BSFA Award, died on 13 April aged 82. He published many more novels and stories, often brilliant; the European SF Society named him as European Grand Master in 2024. Ian had been a friend since the 1970s -- I was proud to release his nonfiction collection _Watto's Wisdom_ in 2025 -- and was active, witty, playful and provocative to the last.
_Lou Zocchi_ (1935-2026), US dice maker and games designer/publisher whose unauthorized _Star Trek Battle Manual_ (1972) was reworked for legal reasons as _Alien Space_ (1973) and again as the licensed _Star Fleet Battle Manual_ (1977), died on 15 April aged 91. [JDN]
FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE. On the strange powers of a footballer: 'You may say I am overdoing it, but [Mohamed] Salah at his best was able to take us to Earthsea, to Valinor before the dimming of the lights, to the Fields of Elysium.' (Matthew Syed, _The Times_, 24 March) [PE]
AWARDS IN PROGRESS. _Hugo_ novel finalists: _A Drop of Corruption_ by Robert Jackson Bennett, _Death of the Author_ by Nnedi Okorafor, _Shroud_ by Adrian Tchaikovsky, _The Everlasting_ by Alix E. Harrow, _The Incandescent_ by Emily Tesh and _The Raven Scholar_ by Antonia Hodgson. 1,488 valid ballots were received, six on paper. Full list of 126 finalists in 21 categories -- two technically not Hugos -- plus disqualifications (4) and withdrawals (3) at www.lacon.org/hugofinalists.
_Prometheus_ (libertarian sf) finalists: _Storm-Dragon_ by Dave Freer, _War by Other Means_ by Karl K. Gallagher, _No Man's Land_ by Sarah Hoyt, _A Kiss for Damocles_ by J. Kenton Pierce, and _Powerless_ by Harry Turtledove.
HEALTH NEWS. _Pat Cadigan_ gleefully announced that after eleven fraught years she is officially free of cancer. (Blog, 10 April)
_Duncan Lunan_ recently had a stroke but is reported to be recovering well. [SF2C]
_Ted White_, alas, returned from rehab to hospital in April.
THE DEAD PAST. _30 Years Ago:_ 'H.G. Wells has become a theme pub: HG's in Peterborough. In homage to Wells's most famous sf creations, the PR company had the new pub opened by Jon Pertwee and a brace of Daleks (since "Tom Baker was too expensive"), while its press release credits Wells with _Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea_. According to CAMRA spies, the quality of research accurately reflects that of the beer.' (_Ansible_ 106, May 1996)
_10 Years Ago:_ 'IN TYPO VERITAS. "George R.R. Martin has been given an honorary dungaree from Texas A&M University." (_SF2 Concatenation_, Summer)' (_Ansible_ 346, May 2016)
FANFUNDERY. _TransAtlantic Fan Fund:_ the winner of the 2026 TAFF race from North America to the Berlin Eurocon (MetropolCon, 2-5 July) was announced on 12 April as Katrina 'Kat' Templeton with 44 votes. (Lisa Hertel 29; No Preference 3.) See taff.org.uk for official release. Kat will be in Europe, including the UK and perhaps Finland, from 23 June to 16 July.
_European Fan Fund:_ voting in the 5-candidate race to MetropolCon (as above) closed on 30 April. Result awaited at effund.github.io.
THOG'S MASTERCLASS. _Neat Tricks._ '... the rather permanent smile which had remained on his face during the meal seemed to roll up from his chin through his mouth, eyes, forehead, and disappear in his hair.' (H. Russell Wakefield, 'Messrs. Turkes and Talbot', _The Arkham Sampler_, Winter 1948) [CG] 'Dorcas's moustache revolved.' (Robert Robinson, _Landscape with Dead Dons_, 1956)
_Euphemism for a (Different) Moustache._ 'The colossal spread of this hairy member ...' (_Ibid_)
_Very Like a Whale._ 'The sun came up like a piece of fiery yellow butter.' (Peter Heath, _The Mind Brothers_, 1967) 'Wearing an aura of rugged-intellectual charm like a plastic raincoat ...' (Sam Merwin Jr, _The Time Shifters_, 1971)
_The Pursuit of Love._ 'The wagon lurched forward like an armadillo trying to mate with a very fast duck.' (James R. Silke, _Lords of Destruction_, 1989)
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PAYPAL TIP JAR THINGY. Donate to support _Ansible_, cover website costs and keep the editor happy! Or just buy his books.
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GROUP THEORY.
21 May 2026, 6pm to late: 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
CON RUMBLINGS II. _BSFA AGM:_ this should be held online on 14 June. There are plans to include discussion panels and an author interview. Zoom login details will be sent to members. (Email, 30 April)
_Sci-Fi Weekender/Camp SFW_ (Great Yarmouth, 18-21 March 2027): the www.scifiweekender.com site seemed to have died, but currently (1 May) redirects to a page for the cancelled March 2026 event. Details and ticket sales are now at darkwatch.net, specifically ...
https://darkwatch.net/sci-fi-weekender-18/
SOME LINKS from the _Ansible_ home page.
Church to hold Doctor Who service and unveil Tardis
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg0zgj9vg2o
Eastercon 2026 newsletters
https://eastercon2026.org/newsletter
_SF2 Concatenation_ Summer 2026 Newscast
http://www.concatenation.org/news/news4~26.html
Tolkien Society Awards shortlists
https://www.tolkiensociety.org/2026/04/vote-now-in-the-2026-tolkien-society-awards/
THOG'S GOLDEN OLDIES from _Ansible_ 226, May 2006. _Uncertain Albedo._ 'Her shining hair absorbs all light.' (Joan D. Vinge, _World's End_, 1984)
_Sheepish Metaphor._ 'The big destrier liked fire no more than Sandor Clegane had, but the horse was easier to cow.' (George R.R. Martin, _A Clash of Kings_, 1998)
_Neat Tricks._ 'I left him scratching his head with the circuit board wrapped up in the spare shirt in my backpack.' (Brian Rideout, 'Pupate' in _Neometropolis_, June 2005)
_Dept of Understatement._ 'Lancinations of unendurable ecstasy ravened through his consciousness, starbursts of warring sensory impulses that slipped once more to coherent phenomena, an instant before his mind shattered to follow into final chaos.' (Karl Edward Wagner, 'The Dark Muse', 1975)
_Martial Arts Truisms._ 'It is obviously impossible for an unarmed man to kill a bigger one with his bare hands.' (Margaret St. Clair, _The Games of Neith_, 1960)
_Ansible_(R) 466 (C) David Langford, 2026. Thanks to John D. Berry, Sandra Bond, Chaz Brenchley, Claire Brialey, Linda Deneroff, Paul Di Filippo, Tommy Ferguson, _File 770_, Carl Glover, Rob Hansen, Steve Jones, Sharon Lee, Andrey Meshavkin, James D. Nicoll, Omega, Lawrence Person, Rog Peyton, Andrew I. Porter, _Private Eye_, Roger Robinson, _SF2 Concatenation_, Steven H Silver, Gordon Van Gelder, SFWA, and as always our Hero Distributors: Durdles Books (Birmingham SF Group) and SCIS/Prophecy.
1 May 2026
MAY 2026
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, or the latest information on what, this season, is gromgorru.
[NET NOTE. See https://news.ansible.uk/a466.html for the nice HTML version; https://news.ansible.uk/pdf/a466.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]
IRIDESCENCE. The 2026 UK Eastercon in the Birmingham NEC Hilton has ... happened!
_Future Eastercons._ 2028 will be CONtract with the same venue: see events list. The 2029 bid Chronologicon (Crowne Plaza Hotel, Chester, 30 March - 2 April) was launched, with website chronologicon.uk (not yet live). A 2030 BSFA bid -- NEC hotel again -- hopes to combine the event with Eurocon.
_BSFA Awards:_ NOVEL _When There Are Wolves Again_ by E.J. Swift. SHORTER FICTION (novella/novelette): 'The Apologists' by Tade Thompson (_Clarkesworld_). SHORT 'Godzilla as a Young Man Named Mike' by E.M. Faulds (_PodCastle_). ANTHOLOGY _Blood in the Bricks_ ed. Neil Williamson. FICTION FOR YOUNGER READERS _Doctor Who: The Robot Revolution_ by Una McCormack. NONFICTION (LONG) _Colourfields: Writing About Writing About Science Fiction_ by Paul Kincaid. NONFICTION (SHORT) 'Spec Fic and the Politics of Identity: Finding the Self' by Eugen Bacon (_Strange Horizons_). TRANSLATED SHORT FICTION Anita Moskat for 'Liecraft' (_Apex_). ARTWORK _Fractal Series_ (12-book tessellated cover) by Nick Wells. AUDIO FICTION _The Dex Legacy Series 3_ by Emily Inkpen.
_Doc Weir Award:_ James 'Jt' Turner.
_The Fiery Chicken_ (con newsletter) can be read at eastercon2026.org/newsletter.
The fan funds auction raised about GBP860 of the total GBP1,100+ reported by the League of Fan Funds. [SB/CB]
Attendance: 813 fans collected their badges in person, there were 46 virtual logins,and the total membership was 940. The whole thing was kept going by more than 100 volunteers. (_Post Convention Update_, 17 April) Sharing the NEC hotel with an anime event (HaruhiCon; see haruhicon.co.uk) worked very well, with the reciprocal access to dealers' rooms etc. appealing to members of both. _HaruhiCon secretary:_ 'The Eastercon guys are so nice [...] This is us but when we're older!'
### THE BLUE GUUL ###
RAY BRADBURY is yet again remembered in the naming of a new SF bookshop in Hay-on-Wye: Bookshop 451 (www.bookshop451.co.uk).
C.J. CHERRYH sadly announced her retirement from writing fiction: 'I drop stitches. Not many. No problems with daily life or doing creative stuff or enjoying life in general. But the ability to control narrative is just not what it was, and it's just not going to be there.' (Facebook, 25 April)
URSULA K. LE GUIN now has her own font, designed by Flora de Carvalho of Brazil and called 'Ursula'. (Letterform Archive, 27 March) [JDB]
STEPHENIE MEYER's sparkly vampire romance _Twilight_ is ranked number one in a Goodreads poll of The Worst Books of All Time. (_Parade_, 1 April) [PDF] Other 'Twilight Saga' instalments occupy the next three slots, with _Fifty Shades of Grey_ at #5 and L. Ron Hubbard's _Scientology: The Fundamentals of Thought_ at #8. By way of context, further down this list of 100 you can find _The Golden Compass_, _Animal Farm_, _Lord of the Flies_, _Fahrenheit 451_, _Dune_, _1984_ and _Brave New World_. (Goodreads, ongoing) Have these youngsters never studied the classic Badger Books?
MARY SHELLEY became another victim of the AI backlash when a report by you-know-what announced that the opening of chapter 5 of _Frankenstein_ is '100% AI GPT'-generated. (Facebook, 4 April) [ChB] It has also been revealed that _Hamlet_ consists largely of quotations.
ANDY WEIR was mentioned in a rare _Private Eye_ sf film review, of _Project Hail Mary_: 'Sci-fi novelist Andy Weir has carved out an intriguing and lucrative niche for himself selling Hollywood upbeat tales about annoying tw*ts who get cast adrift in space. In [...] _The Martian_, Matt Damon was abandoned in a barren, hostile terrain. You'd think this would be a horrific ordeal, but he was so upbeat, go-getting and obnoxiously perky you half suspected they left him there on purpose.' (3 April)
### CONTUMACITY ###
2-3 May [] PORTMEIRION STEAMPUNK, Portmeirion. Day tickets _at the gate only_: GBP15.50; under-15s GBP11; under-5s free. See steampunk.wales.
2-3 May [] PORTSMOUTH COMIC CON, Guildhall, Portsmouth. Tickets GBP37 plus fee; concessions and day rates at portsmouthcomiccon.com.
8-9 May [] NORNCON, Hilton Lanyon Place, Belfast. GBP35 reg; GBP20 concessions. Online registration at norncon.org.
9-10 May [] LAWLESS (UK comics), Hilton Doubletree, Bristol. Weekend tickets GBP75.60; GBP37.80 per day. See lawlesscomiccon.co.uk.
13-15 May [] GIFCON (U of Glasgow conference), 'The Technologies of the Fantastic', online. See tinyurl.com/yfdbvdwj.
13-17 May [] SCI-FI LONDON (film), Rich Mix, Shoreditch, London. 'All access' pass GBP120; other options at sci-fi-london.com.
16-17 May [] AMIKON (anime/manga), Dublin City University Glasnevin Campus. Euro25 reg; Euro15 per day. See amikon.me.
19 May [] TOLKIEN LECTURE by Brandon Sanderson, Oxford Town Hall, Oxford. 6pm. See tolkienlecture.org.
22-24 May [] MCM COMIC CON, London ExCel. Tickets from GBP97; day rates at www.mcmcomiccon.com/london/en-us.html.
SOLD OUT 22-24 May [] SATELLITE 9, Clayton Hotel, Glasgow. GBP75 reg; under-25s GBP60; under-18s GBP20; other rates at nine.satellitex.org.uk.
23 or 24 May [] PETER CUSHING CELEBRATION, Whitstable. GBP75 for either day -- _same programme both days_. See renownfilms.co.uk.
23-24 May [] STEAM TRAINS AND FAIRYTALES (steampunk), Midland Railway Trust, Butterley. See www.ministryofsteampunk.com.
29-30 May [] _LOLLY WILLOWES_ centenary conference (Sylvia Townsend Warner Society), University College, London. GBP75 reg or GBP50 concessions _booked in advance only_. See townsendwarner.com/the-society/news.
29-31 May [] UK GAMES EXPO, Birmingham NEC. GBP54; under-17s GBP36; other rates at www.ukgamesexpo.co.uk.
30-31 May [] SAREHOLE FESTIVAL (Tolkien Society), Sarehole Recreation Ground, Birmingham. Replaces the ailing (non-TS) Middle-earth Festival which was cancelled in 2025 with no explanation given. More awaited at www.tolkiensociety.org/events/sarehole-festival-2026.
5-7 Jun [] CYMERA -- Scotland's Festival of SF, Fantasy & Horror Writing, Edinburgh and online. Rates at www.cymerafestival.co.uk.
6-7 Jun [] HORRORCON UK, Magna, Sheffield. Weekend ticket GBP63; early entry GBP78; other rates at horrorconuk.com.
27-31 Aug [] FRIGHTFEST (film), Leicester Square & West End Odeons, London. Tickets from mid-June at frightfest.co.uk/filmsandevents.
9-13 Sep [] BRANDYWINE FESTIVAL ('immersive experience' hobbit LARP), Weston Park, Telford. Tickets GBP229; price rises with every 400 sales. For costumed role-players only. See thebrandywinefestival.com.
3 Oct [] OH!CON, Stornoway, Lewis and Harris, Outer Hebrides. Ticket sales awaited at ohcon.info.
30-31 Oct [] FRIGHTFEST HALLOWEEN (film), Odeon Luxe, West End, London. Tickets later this year at frightfest.co.uk/filmsandevents.
26-29 Mar 2027 [] UNCONFINED (Eastercon), Crowne Plaza Hotel, Glasgow. _New rates from 1 May. GBP120 reg (GBP80 concessions); GBP40 (GBP25) virtual; GBP30 under-27s_; GBP10 under-13s. See easterconglasgow.org.
3-4 Apr 2027 [] HORRORFIED 3 (horror): venue anouncement and ticket sales awaited at horrorfied.co.uk.
10 Apr 2027 [] BEDFORD WHO CHARITY CON (_Doctor Who_), King's House, Ampthill Road, Bedford, MK42 9AZ. 10am-5:30pm. Tickets GBP56.75; under-15s GBP26.25. See bedfordwhocharitycon.co.uk.
17-18 Apr 2027 [] SCI-FI SCARBOROUGH (multimedia), The Spa, Scarborough. Weekend pass GBP35; other rates at scifiscarborough.co.uk.
28-31 May 2027 [] JODIWORLD (Jodi Taylor), Leonardo Hotel, Hinckley Island. GBP140 reg; GBP40 supp; under-13s free. See jodiworld.co.uk.
23-26 Sep 2027 [] EUROCON LISBON 2027, Lisbon, Portugal. Euro60 reg. Registration is open at forumfantastico.org/eurocon/.
14-17 Apr 2028 [] CONTRACT (Eastercon), Birmingham NEC Hilton. GBP90 reg; GBP50 concessions; GBP40 supp/online. Guests include Adam Roberts, Aliya Whiteley and Chris Lintott (science). See eastercon2028.org.
RUMBLINGS. _Edinburgh Horror Festival:_ there will be no October 2026 event, but perhaps a return in 2027. See www.edhorrorfest.co.uk/hiatus.
### INFINITELY IMPROBABLE ###
SIMILE CORNER. '"GB News landed like an asteroid and is wiping out every dinosaur and detractor in its way," declared the station's editorial director Michael Booker last month, boasting of his channel's ability to render the majority of life extinct and make the planet uninhabitable for thousands of years.' (_Private Eye_, 3 April)
AWARDS. _Compton Crook_ (debut): _The Book of Lost Hours_ by Hayley Gelfuso.
_Hans Christian Andersen_ (children's): WRITING Michael Rosen. ILLUSTRATION Cai Gao.
_Horror Writers Association_ life achievement: Jonathan Maberry and Lisa Morton.
_Philip K. Dick_ (pb original): _Outlaw Planet_ by M.R. Carey.
_SFPA Grand Master_ (poetry): Ruth Berman.
_SFWA Infinity Award_ (posthumous Grand Master): Roger Zelazny.
AS OTHERS EXPLAIN US. 'Bjo _[Trimble]_ became famous for her fashion shows at the World Science Fiction Convention, which was an early form of Comicon.' (BBC Future, 18 July 2025) [LD]
R.I.P. _Mario Adorf_ (1930-2026), Swiss-German actor in _When Women Lost Their Tails_ (1972), _The Tin Drum_ (1979), _Little Dodo_ (2008) and others, died on 8 April aged 95. [SJ]
_Desmond Barrit_ (1944-2026), UK actor in _Alice Through the Looking Glass_ (1998), _A Christmas Carol_ (1999) and the long-running West End musical _Wicked_ (as one of several who played the Wizard), died on 21 March aged 81. [AIP]
_Gerry Conway_ (1952-2026), US comics writer for Marvel (Spider-Man; co-creator of the Punisher) and DC (Justice League), sf/fantasy novelist, screenwriter and producer, died on 27 April aged 73. [RH]
_Mariclare Costello_ (1936-2026), US _Waltons_ actress in _Let's Scare Jessica To Death_ (1971) and _The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension_ (1984), died on 17 April aged 90. [AIP]
_Vadim Denisov_ (1959-2026), Russian sf author who published 27 novels from 2003, died on 20 April aged 66. [AM]
_Alla Dokuchayeva_ (1935-2026), Russian author of the sf novel _Sud Bozhiy_ (_God's Judgement_, 2005), died on 9 April. [AM]
_Richard Donat_ (1941-2026), Canadian actor in genre tv series including _Lexx_ (1996-1997) and the Stephen King-based _Haven_ (61 episodes 2010-2015), died on 28 March aged 84. [SJ]
_Margaret Edgar_, Scots fan active in various media fandoms in the 1970s and 1980s, died on 12 April. [O]
_Rosemary Edghill_ (formerly eluki bes shahar; 1956-2026), US sf/fantasy author whose first novel was _Hellflower_ (1991), opening a space opera trilogy, and who published much more -- collaborating with Andre Norton and others -- died on 7 April aged 69. [SL]
_Stan Eling_, UK fan active from 1971 and long associated with the Birmingham SF Group, who worked on Novacons (committee member in 1976 and 1981) and the 1978 Eastercon committee, died on 3 April aged 90. [RP] I gratefully remember Stan making me feel welcome at my first Novacon in 1973.
_John Flanagan_ (1944-2026), Australian author of the lengthy 'Ranger's Apprentice' children's fantasy series that began with _The Ruins of Gorlan_ (2004) and continued for 20 years, died on 7 February aged 81. [AIP]
_Boris Goloshchapov_ (1949-2026), Russian actor who dubbed the anime films _Princess Mononoke_, _Cowboy Bebop: The Movie_ and _Rebuild of Evangelion_ 1-2, died on 15 April aged 76. [AM]
_Yuri Gorbachev_ (1961-2026), Belarussian author who wrote in Russian as Yuri Yulov-- novels _Piyany materik_ (_Drunken Continent_, 1999) and _Po doroge na piknik_ (_On the Way to the Picnic_, 2012) -- and in Belarussian as Yuras Neratok, with story collections in both languages, died on 10 April. [AM]
_John Guidry_ (1944-2026), US fan who was a charter member of the New Orleans SF Association (1967), founded the Edgar Rice Burroughs-centred ERB-apa in 1984 and chaired the 1988 Worldcon, died on 10 April aged 81. [AIP]
_Joy Harmon_ (1940-2026), US actress in _The Loved One_ (1965), _Village of the Giants_ (1965) and genre tv series, died on 15 April aged 85.
_Rif Hutton_ (1955-2026), US actor in _Wavelength_ (1983), _The Borrower_, (1991), _Star Trek: Generations_ (1994), _The Thirteenth Floor_ (1999) and others, died on 18 April aged 70. [SJ]
_Sid Krofft_ (1929-2026), US creator with his brother Marty (1937-2023) of the tv series _H.R. Pufnstuf_ (1969), _Land of the Lost_ (1974-1977), _Far Out Space Nuts_ (1975-1976) and others, died on 10 April aged 96. [AIP]
_Steve Maslow_ (1944-2026), US sound engineer for many genre films, who won sound-editing Oscars for _The Empire Strikes Back_ (1980) and _Raiders of the Lost Ark_ (1981), died on 27 April aged 81. [SHS]
_Yelena Mikheeva_ (1951-2026) Russian actress in the children's urban fantasy film _Dva dnya chudes_ (_Two Days of Miracles_, 1970) died on 26 April aged 74. [AM]
_Tera Mitchel_ (1951-2026), US filker, filk organizer and promoter who produced several compilation albums, died on 29 March aged 74. [F770]
_Desmond Morris_ (1928-2026), UK ethologist and zoologist best known for pop-science works like _The Naked Ape_ (1967), whose one novel was the sf _Inrock_ (1983), died on 19 April aged 98.
_Alexander Morton_ (1945-2026), UK actor in _Valhalla Rising_ (2009), who played Jekyll & Hyde (both roles) and Dracula for BBC Radio, plus voice work in genre videogames including _The Witcher_, died on 14 April aged 81.
_Patrick Muldoon_ (1968-2026), US actor in _Dead Weekend_ (1995), _Starship Troopers_ (1997), _Ice Spiders_ (2007), _Little Dead Rotting Hood_ (2016) and others, died on 19 April aged 57. [SJ]
_John Nolan_ (1938-2026), UK actor in _Doomwatch_ (1970-1971), _Terror_ (1978), _Batman Begins_ (2005) and _The Dark Knight Rises_ (2010), died on 11 April aged 87. [LP]
_Arne Olsen_, US screenwriter for _Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie_ (1995), _All Dogs Go to Heaven 2_ (1996), _Repeaters_ (2010) and others, died on 4 April aged 64. [AIP]
_Angela Pleasence_ (1941-2026), UK actress in _From Beyond the Grave_ (1974), _A Christmas Carol_ (1984), _Your Highness_ (2011) and genre tv series, died on 10 April aged 84. [SJ]
_Paul Seed_ (1947-2026), UK tv director and actor in _Doctor Who_ (4 episodes 1978), died on 7 March aged 78. [AIP]
_Gordon Snell_ (1932-2026), UK children's author whose books include the sf 'Tom's Amazing Machine' series (1988-1992), died in April aged 93.
_Len Strazewski_ (1955-2026), US comics writer who worked on DC's _Starman_, _Flash_, _Justice Society of America_ and others, died on 27 April aged 71.
_Roger Sweet_ (1935-2026), US toy designer who as a lead designer at Mattel co-created the _He-Man_/_Masters of the Universe_ action figures (1982), died on 28 April aged 91.
_Michele Massimo Tarantini_ (1942-2026, aka 'Michael E. Lemick'), Italian director and co-writer of _Sangraal, la spada di fuoco_ (1982) and _Cannibal Ferox II_ (1985), died on 3 April aged 83. [SJ]
_Thomas Tessier_ (1947-2026), US horror and dark fantasy author of several novels beginning with _The Fates_ (1978), plus five collections, died on 26 March aged 78. [GVG/LP]
_Ian Watson_ (1943-2026), prolific and erudite UK author active from 1969, whose first novel _The Embedding_ (1973) was much discussed and whose second _The Jonah Kit_ (1975) won a BSFA Award, died on 13 April aged 82. He published many more novels and stories, often brilliant; the European SF Society named him as European Grand Master in 2024. Ian had been a friend since the 1970s -- I was proud to release his nonfiction collection _Watto's Wisdom_ in 2025 -- and was active, witty, playful and provocative to the last.
_Lou Zocchi_ (1935-2026), US dice maker and games designer/publisher whose unauthorized _Star Trek Battle Manual_ (1972) was reworked for legal reasons as _Alien Space_ (1973) and again as the licensed _Star Fleet Battle Manual_ (1977), died on 15 April aged 91. [JDN]
FANTASY FOOTBALL LEAGUE. On the strange powers of a footballer: 'You may say I am overdoing it, but [Mohamed] Salah at his best was able to take us to Earthsea, to Valinor before the dimming of the lights, to the Fields of Elysium.' (Matthew Syed, _The Times_, 24 March) [PE]
AWARDS IN PROGRESS. _Hugo_ novel finalists: _A Drop of Corruption_ by Robert Jackson Bennett, _Death of the Author_ by Nnedi Okorafor, _Shroud_ by Adrian Tchaikovsky, _The Everlasting_ by Alix E. Harrow, _The Incandescent_ by Emily Tesh and _The Raven Scholar_ by Antonia Hodgson. 1,488 valid ballots were received, six on paper. Full list of 126 finalists in 21 categories -- two technically not Hugos -- plus disqualifications (4) and withdrawals (3) at www.lacon.org/hugofinalists.
_Prometheus_ (libertarian sf) finalists: _Storm-Dragon_ by Dave Freer, _War by Other Means_ by Karl K. Gallagher, _No Man's Land_ by Sarah Hoyt, _A Kiss for Damocles_ by J. Kenton Pierce, and _Powerless_ by Harry Turtledove.
HEALTH NEWS. _Pat Cadigan_ gleefully announced that after eleven fraught years she is officially free of cancer. (Blog, 10 April)
_Duncan Lunan_ recently had a stroke but is reported to be recovering well. [SF2C]
_Ted White_, alas, returned from rehab to hospital in April.
THE DEAD PAST. _30 Years Ago:_ 'H.G. Wells has become a theme pub: HG's in Peterborough. In homage to Wells's most famous sf creations, the PR company had the new pub opened by Jon Pertwee and a brace of Daleks (since "Tom Baker was too expensive"), while its press release credits Wells with _Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea_. According to CAMRA spies, the quality of research accurately reflects that of the beer.' (_Ansible_ 106, May 1996)
_10 Years Ago:_ 'IN TYPO VERITAS. "George R.R. Martin has been given an honorary dungaree from Texas A&M University." (_SF2 Concatenation_, Summer)' (_Ansible_ 346, May 2016)
FANFUNDERY. _TransAtlantic Fan Fund:_ the winner of the 2026 TAFF race from North America to the Berlin Eurocon (MetropolCon, 2-5 July) was announced on 12 April as Katrina 'Kat' Templeton with 44 votes. (Lisa Hertel 29; No Preference 3.) See taff.org.uk for official release. Kat will be in Europe, including the UK and perhaps Finland, from 23 June to 16 July.
_European Fan Fund:_ voting in the 5-candidate race to MetropolCon (as above) closed on 30 April. Result awaited at effund.github.io.
THOG'S MASTERCLASS. _Neat Tricks._ '... the rather permanent smile which had remained on his face during the meal seemed to roll up from his chin through his mouth, eyes, forehead, and disappear in his hair.' (H. Russell Wakefield, 'Messrs. Turkes and Talbot', _The Arkham Sampler_, Winter 1948) [CG] 'Dorcas's moustache revolved.' (Robert Robinson, _Landscape with Dead Dons_, 1956)
_Euphemism for a (Different) Moustache._ 'The colossal spread of this hairy member ...' (_Ibid_)
_Very Like a Whale._ 'The sun came up like a piece of fiery yellow butter.' (Peter Heath, _The Mind Brothers_, 1967) 'Wearing an aura of rugged-intellectual charm like a plastic raincoat ...' (Sam Merwin Jr, _The Time Shifters_, 1971)
_The Pursuit of Love._ 'The wagon lurched forward like an armadillo trying to mate with a very fast duck.' (James R. Silke, _Lords of Destruction_, 1989)
### GEEKS' CORNER ###
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CONVENTION AND EVENT LINKSS
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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.
21 May 2026, 6pm to late: 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
CON RUMBLINGS II. _BSFA AGM:_ this should be held online on 14 June. There are plans to include discussion panels and an author interview. Zoom login details will be sent to members. (Email, 30 April)
_Sci-Fi Weekender/Camp SFW_ (Great Yarmouth, 18-21 March 2027): the www.scifiweekender.com site seemed to have died, but currently (1 May) redirects to a page for the cancelled March 2026 event. Details and ticket sales are now at darkwatch.net, specifically ...
https://darkwatch.net/sci-fi-weekender-18/
SOME LINKS from the _Ansible_ home page.
Church to hold Doctor Who service and unveil Tardis
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckg0zgj9vg2o
Eastercon 2026 newsletters
https://eastercon2026.org/newsletter
_SF2 Concatenation_ Summer 2026 Newscast
http://www.concatenation.org/news/news4~26.html
Tolkien Society Awards shortlists
https://www.tolkiensociety.org/2026/04/vote-now-in-the-2026-tolkien-society-awards/
THOG'S GOLDEN OLDIES from _Ansible_ 226, May 2006. _Uncertain Albedo._ 'Her shining hair absorbs all light.' (Joan D. Vinge, _World's End_, 1984)
_Sheepish Metaphor._ 'The big destrier liked fire no more than Sandor Clegane had, but the horse was easier to cow.' (George R.R. Martin, _A Clash of Kings_, 1998)
_Neat Tricks._ 'I left him scratching his head with the circuit board wrapped up in the spare shirt in my backpack.' (Brian Rideout, 'Pupate' in _Neometropolis_, June 2005)
_Dept of Understatement._ 'Lancinations of unendurable ecstasy ravened through his consciousness, starbursts of warring sensory impulses that slipped once more to coherent phenomena, an instant before his mind shattered to follow into final chaos.' (Karl Edward Wagner, 'The Dark Muse', 1975)
_Martial Arts Truisms._ 'It is obviously impossible for an unarmed man to kill a bigger one with his bare hands.' (Margaret St. Clair, _The Games of Neith_, 1960)
_Ansible_(R) 466 (C) David Langford, 2026. Thanks to John D. Berry, Sandra Bond, Chaz Brenchley, Claire Brialey, Linda Deneroff, Paul Di Filippo, Tommy Ferguson, _File 770_, Carl Glover, Rob Hansen, Steve Jones, Sharon Lee, Andrey Meshavkin, James D. Nicoll, Omega, Lawrence Person, Rog Peyton, Andrew I. Porter, _Private Eye_, Roger Robinson, _SF2 Concatenation_, Steven H Silver, Gordon Van Gelder, SFWA, and as always our Hero Distributors: Durdles Books (Birmingham SF Group) and SCIS/Prophecy.
1 May 2026
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