Ansible 447 -- October 2024

[Ansible Newsletter]

ANSIBLE(R) 447
OCTOBER 2024

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 any prophylactic against metaphoric deformation or Panzaism.

[NET NOTE. See https://news.ansible.uk/a447.html for the nice HTML version; https://news.ansible.uk/pdf/a447.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 INEXORABILITY OF THE SPECIOUS ###

RAMSEY CAMPBELL quotes 'a literary agent's statement of his needs: "He would specifically love to see a super smutty horror novel that addresses big societal questions in a unique and compelling way." I should like to think this is parodic, but my fear is great.' (Facebook, 31 August)

NNEDI OKORAFOR reports: 'The airport in Austin, TX has a gate for "Interimaginary Departures" and, Oomza Uni from the Binti Trilogy is on there! How cool!' (Facebook, 28 September) Other destinations include Lilliput, Moomin Valley, Narnia, Nessus, New Crobuzon and Pegana.

PAUL RIDDELL was once again in the news with his famous anecdote about being investigated in depth by the FBI for joking -- while at Texas Instruments -- about selling missile secrets to the Daleks. 'I told them I would never sell us out to the Daleks, anyway ...The Cybermen or the Sontarans, sure! They pay more.' (_Dallas Observer_, 3 September) [AIP]

SOMTOW SUCHARITKUL is happy to be one of the three recipients of Thailand's 2024 Public Diplomacy Award, given for promoting the country worldwide through his works. (Facebook, 19 September)

KURT VONNEGUT is again vindicated as a prophet! _The Sirens of Titan_ (chapter 6) features Schliemann Breathing, allowing humans to survive in vacuum or 'inhospitable atmosphere' by absorbing oxygen through the intestines. One of the 2024 Ig Nobel Prizes for offbeat science went to Takanori Takebe for finding that some mammals can actually do this.


### CONTRATABULAR ###

Until 6 Oct [] BIRMINGHAM ANIME FILM FESTIVAL, Mockingbird Cinema, Custard Factory, Birmingham. See www.baff.uk/schedule/.

3-6 Oct [] GRIMMFEST (film), Odeon Great Northern, Manchester. Full pass for all screenings GBP79.99 plus fees at grimmfest.com.

5-6 Oct [] OCTOCON, Gibson Hotel, Dublin. Euro65 reg; concessions Euro40; YA/virtual/supp Euro20; under-13s free. See octocon.com.

11-13 Oct [] FANTASYCON, Queen at Chester Hotel, Chester. GBP85 reg. See britishfantasysociety.org/events-calendar/fantasycon-2024.

19-20 Oct [] FILM & COMIC CON CARDIFF, International Arena, Cardiff. GBP16; GBP32 early entry. See filmandcomicconcardiff.com.

24-27 Oct [] CELLULOID SCREAMS horror film festival, Sheffield. Weekend pass GBP115; this and other tickets at celluloidscreams.com.

25-27 Oct [] FESTIVAL OF FANTASTIC FILMS, Pendulum Hotel, Manchester. GBP110 reg. See fantastic-films.uk for day rates.

26-27 Oct [] BRISTOLCON, Hilton DoubleTree Hotel, Bristol.GBP65 reg; GBP50 under-18s, concessions, disabled; under-14s free; GBP20 supp. Day rates at www.bristolcon.org.

26 Oct [] COMIC CON HALLOWEEN, Haydock Racecourse. 10am-4pm. GBP11; ticket link for junior rates at www.ljeventsentertainment.com.

31 Oct - 3 Nov [] EDINBURGH HORROR FESTIVAL, Banshee Labyrinth and Lauriston Castle. More at edinburghhorrorfestival.co.uk.

1-3 Nov [] ARMADACON, Future Inns, Plymouth. GBP45 reg; GBP35 concessions; single day GBP25. More at www.armadacon.org.

1-2 Nov [] FRIGHTFEST (film), London, Odeon Luxe, Leicester Square. Tickets on sale early October: www.frightfest.co.uk/filmsandevents/.

1-3 Nov [] GLASGOW 2024, BACK TO OUR FUTURES, free online for Glasgow Worldcon attending or virtual members: tinyurl.com/2earcc4d.

8-10 Nov [] NOVACON 53, Palace Hotel, Buxton. GBP53 reg; couples GBP106 (gosh); under-17s GBP12; under-13s free. Day rates at novacon.uk.

9 Nov [] CYMERA WRITERS' CONFERENCE, Edinburgh/online. GBP75; concessions/virtual at www.cymerafestival.co.uk/writers-conference.

9-10 Nov [] SURREY STEAMPUNK CONVIVIAL, Stoneleigh, Epsom. See bumpandthumper.wixsite.com/steampunkconvivials.

16 Nov [] WINTER HAUNTS 3 (Gothic etc), online. See https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/winter-haunts-2024-tickets-998430531597.

23-24 Nov [] CHRISTOPHER TOLKIEN centenary conference, online: www.tolkiensociety.org/events/christopher-tolkien-centenary-conference/

25-26 Nov [] DARKFEST 6 (film), Genesis Cinema, 93-95 Mile End Rd,

London, E1 4UJ. GBP55. See infinitymagazine.co.uk/product/darkfest-6/.

15-16 Mar 2025 [] DUBLIN COMIC CON, Convention Centre, Dublin. Various ticket prices (extra for early entry, etc.) at dublincomiccon.com.

17-18 May 2025 [] HORRORCON UK, Magna, Sheffield. Ticket prices and sales awaited at horrorconuk.com.

6-8 Jun 2025 [] CYMERA: Scotland's Festival of SF, Fantasy & Horror Writing, Edinburgh and online. See www.cymerafestival.co.uk.

18-20 Jul 2025 [] FANTASY FOREST (cosplay), Sudely Castle, Cheltenham. Tickets at fantasyforest.co.uk, where a long countdown to the start of sales at noon on 1 October ended with 'site is currently unavailable'.

16 Aug 2025 [] STARS OF TIME (comics), Winter Gardens, Weston-super-Mare. Ticket sales awaited at www.starsoftime.co.uk.

RUMBLINGS. _Reconnect (Eastercon 2025, Belfast):_ hotel booking is now open for fans with access needs, and will be generally open to all members from 14 October.
     _Worldcon 2028:_ the Brisbane bid changed its proposed dates from 24-28 August to 27-31 July, the weekend after a total solar eclipse that will pass through Australia. (Xitter, 10 September)


### INFINITELY IMPROBABLE ###

AS OTHERS FEAR US. On book blurb/review terms that 'instantly make your heart sink [...] Top of my list is "dystopian". The minute the word hoves into view, that author and publisher have lost me. [...] Not unrelated to my phobia for dystopias are: "futuristic" (even if the novel is set only as little as five years hence); "fantasy"; "supernatural"; "sci-fi"; "horror". Alas, it is almost impossible to find a contemporary novel that doesn't boast one or more of these adjectives.' Also, this writer has never read J.K. Rowling or Philip Pullman because 'I cannot stomach magical realism.' (Candida Crewe, _The Oldie Review of Books_, Autumn 2024)

AWARDS. _Booker Prize:_ the shortlisted novel closest to sf is _Orbital_ by Samantha Harvey, set on the International Space Station.
     _The Arthur C. Clarke Award_ is now open to 2024 submissions (UK publications only).

SATIRE DEPT. A wicked claim that US politician J.D. Vance 'is turning the stories he has created on the campaign trail into a sci-fi trilogy. / Called "Wokemare", the books depict "a dystopia ruled by a liberal elite, where the human race faces extinction because women have selfishly chosen to have careers," Vance said. "It's up to a federation of brave tech founders to reestablish order."' (_The Borowitz Report_, 17 September) [GG]

TONGUESLIP. 'New cases of blue tongue have been identified in Norfolk ... the disease, which is spread by midgets ...' (BBC1, _Look East_) [PE]

R.I.P. _John Ashton_ (1948-2024), US actor whose genre credits include _King Kong Lives_ (1986) and _Reign of the Gargoyles_ (2007), died on 26 September aged 76.
     _Franca Bettoia_ (1936-2024), Italian actress who co-starred in _The Last Man on Earth_ (1964), died on 13 September aged 88. [SJ]
     _John Cassaday_ (1971-2024), award-winning US comics artist and writer who worked for DC (_Planetary_, _Superman/Batman_) and Marvel (_Astonishing X-Men_, _Captain America_, _Star Wars_), died on 9 September aged 52. [SH]
     _Kenneth Cope_ (1931-2024), UK actor in _X the Unknown_ (1956), _The Damned_ (1962), _Night of the Big Heat_ (1967) and _Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased)_ (1969-1971, as the ghostly Hopkirk), died on 11 September aged 93. [SJ]
     _Kathryn Grant Crosby_ (1933-2024), widow of Bing and actress in _The Night the World Exploded_ (1957), _The 7th Voyage of Sinbad_ (1958), _1001 Arabian Nights_ (1959) and _The Initiation of Sarah_ (1978), died on 20 September aged 90. [LP]
     _David 'Gryphon' Curry_, UK fan who was a stalwart of Eastercons and Redemptions, died on 26 September. [NW]
     _James Darren_ (1936-2024), US actor in _Hey There, It's Yogi Bear_ (1964), _The Time Tunnel_ (1966-1967), _City Beneath the Sea_ (1971) and _Star Trek: DS9_ (1998-1999), died on 26 August aged 88. [LP]
     _David Stuart Davies_ (1946-2024), UK Sherlock Holmes expert who published much nonfiction and fiction about Holmes -- pitting him against Dracula in _The Tangled Skein_ (1995) and the Giant Rat of Sumatra in _The Shadow of the Rat_ (1999) -- and edited _Return from the Dead_ (2006) plus other supernatural anthologies, died on 16 August aged 78. [SH]
     _Nelson DeMille_ (1943-2024), often uncredited US author of technothrillers with Thomas H. Block -- the most science-fictional being _Orbit_ (1982) and _Airship Nine_ (1984) -- died on 17 September aged 81. [PS-P]
     _Pierre-William Glenn_ (1943-2024), French cinematographer for _Death Watch_ (1980) and _The Prize of Peril_ (1983), died on 24 September aged 80. [SJ]
     _David Graham_ (1925-2024), UK actor best known for voice work in Gerry/Sylvia Anderson puppet series -- _Four Feather Falls_ (1960), _Supercar_ (1961-1962), _Fireball XL5_ (1962-1963), _Stingray_ (1964-1965) and _Thunderbirds_ (1965-1966 plus spinoffs), died on September aged 99. Other credits include _Timeslip_ (1970-1971), _Doctor Who_ (1973-1979) and _Peppa Pig_ (2004-2021). [CM]
     _Taylor Grant_ (1970-2024), US horror author active since 2011, whose first collection was _The Dark at the End of the Tunnel_ (2015), died on 12 September aged 54. [SJ]
     _Andrew C. Greenberg_ (1957-2024), US game designer who co-created the early role-playing videogame _Wizardry_ (1981 plus sequels) -- featuring the evil wizard Werdna -- died on 28 August aged 67. [MR]
     _Frank Griffin_ (1929-2024), US actor in _The Giant Claw_ (1957) and makeup artist for _Westworld_ (1973), _Demon Seed_ (1977), _Peggy Sue Got Married_ (1986) and many more, died on 4 September aged 95. [SJ]
     _Geoffrey Hinsliff_ (1937-2024), UK _Coronation Street_ actor also seen in _Doctor Who_ (1977, 1979) and _Jackanory_ (1980), died on 18 September. [CM]
     _Fredric Jameson_ (1934-2024), US academic critic who wrote extensively about sf, notably in _Archaeologies of the Future: The Desire Called Utopia and Other Science Fictions_ (2005), died on 22 September aged 90. He received the SFRA Pilgrim Award in 2006.
     _Peter Jay_ (1937-2024), UK author with Michael Stewart of the sf novel _Apocalypse 2000: Economic Breakdown and the Suicide of Democracy, 1989-2000_ (1987), died on 24 September aged 87. [JC]
     _James Earl Jones_ (1931-2024), EGOT-winning US actor who famously voiced Darth Vader in _Star Wars_ (1977) and many franchise spinoffs, died on 9 September aged 93. Genre films in his long career include _Dr Strangelove_ (1964), _Conan the Barbarian_ (1982), _Field of Dreams_ (1989), _The Lion King_ (1994 plus sequels) and _Robots_ (2005).
     _Dmitry Krinari_ (1959-2024), award-winning Russian fan artist and event organizer, died on 31 August. [AM]
     _Kris Kristofferson_ (1936-2024), US musician and actor in _Millennium_ (1989), _Blade_ (1998 plus sequels) and _Planet of the Apes_ (2001), died on 28 September aged 88. [LP]
     _Nigel Lambert_ (1944-2024), UK voice actor in _Doctor Who_ (several episodes 1980-2001) and _The Adventures of Paddington Bear_ (39 episodes 1997-2000), died in September aged 80.
     _Lee Hoi-sang_ (1941-2024), Hong Kong martial-arts film actor in _The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires_ (1974, uncredited), _Demon of the Lute_ (1983), _The Ghost Informer_ (1984) and others, died on 9 September aged 83. [SJ]
     _Holly Lisle_ (1960-2024), US author of some 30 genre novels, whose debut fantasy _Fire in the Mist_ (1992) won a Compton Crook Award and opened a trilogy, died on 27 August aged 63. [F770]
     _Chad McQueen_ (1960-2024), US actor -- son of Steve -- in _Death Ring_ (1992), _Firepower_ (1993) and _Possessed by the Night_ (1994), died on 11 September aged 63. [SJ]
     _Roman Madyanov_ (1962-2024), Russian actor in the Bulgakov film adaptation _Rokovyie yaytsa_ (_The Fatal Eggs_, 1996) died on 25 September aged 62. [AM]
     _Bernie Mireault_ (1961-2024), Canadian comics artist known for work on _Grendel_, _Madman_ and his own creations _The Jam_ and _Dr. Robot_ -- also a noted Gaiman-scripted Riddler story -- committed suicide on 2 September aged 63. [SH]
     _Karl Moline_ (1973-2024), US comics artist who worked on _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ for Dark Horse and co-created the spinoff _Fray_ with Joss Whedon, died on 11 September aged 51. [SH]
     _Obi Ndefo_ (1972-2024), US actor in _Stargate SG-1_ (2000-2005), other genre tv series, and _Vampires in Venice_ (2013), died on 31 August aged 51. [SJ]
     _John Nielsen-Hall_, UK fan active in the late 1960s (publishing _Zine_ 1969-1970) and 1970s, when he was part of London Ratfandom, and again from the 1990s (in email lists and publishing _Motorway Dreamer_ 2005-2012, plus others), died on 8 September. [LK] 'Uncle Johnny' was a good man and I'll miss him. A memorial collection of his fanzine writing is in preparation.
     _Leonid Okunev_ (1949-2024), Russian actor who starred in the urban fantasy film _Patrioticheskaya komediya_ (_Patriotic Comedy_, 1992), died on 8 September aged 75. [AM]
     _Heather Osborne_ (1981-2024), Canadian author active from 2008, whose one novel was the fantasy _Songbroken_ (2002), died all too young on 20 September aged 43. [RJS]
     _Graham Rawle_ (1955-2024), UK collage artist whose surreal 'Lost Consonants' series appeared in the _Guardian_ 1990-2005 and who won awards for his profusely illustrated 2008 version of _The Wizard of Oz_, died on 16 August aged 69. [AIP] His novel _Overland_ (2018) is borderline sf.
     _Peter Renaday_ (1935-2024), US actor in _The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes_ (1969), _The Love Bug_ (1969) and others, with voice roles in the _Star Wars_ and _Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles_ franchises plus many animated superhero series, died on 8 September aged 89. [SJ]
     _Dame Maggie Smith_ (1934-2024), famed Oscar-winning UK actress whose genre credits include _Clash of the Titans_ (1981), _Hook_ (1991), the Harry Potter films (2001-2011) and _Gnomeo and Juliet_ (2011), died on 27 September aged 89.
     _Cleo Sylvestre_ (1945-2024), UK actress in _Paddington_ (2014), _Forever Young_ (2023) and genre tv series, died on 20 September aged 79.
     _Brian Trueman_ (1932-2024), UK screenwriter and voice actor who wrote and performed in much animated tv including the legendary _Danger Mouse_ (1981-1993) and _Count Duckula_ (1988-1993), died on 2 September aged 92. [O]
     _Valery Voskoboynikov_ (1939-2024), Russian author -- mostly for children -- whose adult fantasy _Voyna Vladigora_ (_Vladigor's War_, 2000) is set in the Vladigor shared world, died on 6 September aged 85. [AM]
     _Robert (Bob) Weatherwax_ (1941-2024), US dog handler who followed his father Rudd in training collies to play Lassie, died on 15 August aged 83. Other trainer credits include _The Thing_ (1982) and _Back to the Future_ (1985). [AIP]
     _Lisa Westcott_ (1948-2024), Oscar- and BAFTA-winning hair and makeup artist whose genre credits include _Captain Zep -- Space Detective_ (1983), _The Wolfman_ (2010) and _Captain America: The First Avenger_ (2011), died on 30 July aged 76. [AIP]

THE WEAKEST LINK. _Clive Myrie:_ 'The horror film villain Freddy Krueger, who attacks his victims in their dreams, first appeared in what 1984 film?' _Contestant:_ '_Kramer vs. Kramer_.' (BBC2, _Mastermind_) [PE]

WITHOUT COMMENT. A.N. Wilson complains that rumoured candidates for Chancellor of Oxford University are all dull politicians unworthy of the Magical Dream That Is Oxford. His unexpected punchline: 'If only J.K. Rowling had stood! A person of deep intellectual integrity, she is also, of all the great public figures of our times, the one who best understands the central part that magic still plays in our lives.' (_The Oldie_, October)

RANDOM FANDOM. _NaNoWriMo_ (National Novel Writing Month, every November) was widely criticized for suggesting that it was fine to achieve the goal of writing a novel in 30 days by having AI software churn out the words, and indeed that it's ableist and classist to expect would-be writers to do their own writing. Is it coincidence that they have an AI-linked firm as sponsor? Three board members promptly resigned. [F770]

SCIENTIFIC COMPARISON. On wildlife in Kent: 'The bison will be able to roam 200 hectares of land after construction is finished, rather than the 50 acres they now have the run of.' (_i_ newspaper, 21 September)

MAGAZINE SCENE. _F&SF_ for Summer 2024 appeared in September with a note from Gordon Van Gelder: 'Ongoing production problems have led us to skip the Spring issue and to switch to a quarterly schedule.'
     Titan Magazines is closing _Star Trek Explorer_ (a market for fiction as well as news, interviews, etc) with issue #14 in December 2024. [KD]

OUTRAGED LETTERS. _Caroline Mullan_ on the shockingly inadequate coverage of Glasgow's vibrant food culture in _A446_: 'Sad that our haggis curry and black pudding dim sums did not make the cut.'

COURT CIRCULAR. As a result of that legal challenge (see _A446_) to DC's and Marvel's joint trademark on the word "superhero" and its variations, and both companies' mysterious failure to file a response, the US Patent and Trademark Office announced on 26 September that 'the petition for cancellation is granted'. (Bleeding Cool, 27 September) [MS]

THE DEAD PAST. _40 Years Ago_, 'Bob Shaw's _Fire Pattern_ has roused speculation; the hero rings an aging John Sladek to ask about spontaneous combustion in people, and can only extract flip, joky, content-free answers. Is Shaw needling Sladek, I was asked? Bob confesses: "John wrote all his own dialogue for that scene."' (_Ansible_ 40, October 1984)
     _30 Years Ago_, 'Nancy Kress described the least flattering invitation she'd ever received, to join the team for Robert Silverberg's _Murasaki_ anthology (featuring Anderson, Bear, Benford, Brin, Pohl): "We have to have a woman, or we're going to get killed!"' (_Ansible_ 87, October 1994)

FANFUNDERY. _TAFF Books._ For those who prefer print: the 2017 ebook _The Frank Arnold Papers_, compiled by Rob Hansen and now expanded by one-third with more of Frank's nonfiction, is at last available as a trade paperback. See ae.ansible.uk/?t=FrankArnold. Meanwhile my own ebook _Work for Hire_ scrapes the barrel of Langford contributions to long-ago genre reference works: free download at taff.org.uk/ebooks.php?x=Work4Hire. It's hoped that the TAFF library may soon host GUFF reports as well.

THOG'S MASTERCLASS. _Bullet Trajectories in the Reacherverse._ 'It struck no obstacles, hit no buildings. It flew on straight and true until its energy was spent and gravity hauled it to earth in the far distance ...' (Lee Child, _Without Fail_, 2002) [JG]
     _High-Tension Romance._ 'This stranger was unfolding in my arms, roiling her thighs about the stiffened extension of my electrical being, sensations of her satin enclosure, the life pulsing in her coming out of its damp hiding to embrace mine, feeling like -- this the picture in my mind's eye replacing the bloody falling -- electrical arcs furling and unfurling about an electrode.' (John Shirley, _Dracula in Love_, 1979)
     _Neat Tricks._ 'The blue eyes he'd inherited regarded him thoughtfully, hungrily, from within his mother's face.' 'Alan glared and did not open his mouth in return. He was too busy breathing through it.' (Freya Marske, _A Power Unbound_, 2023) [LA]


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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.
     17 October 2024, 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. With the _SF Encyclopedia_ website update of 30 September, the statistics thingy reports that my own contributions come to over 800,000 words. Small beer, of course, compared with John Clute's three-million-plus or the total wordage of 7.1 million. In my copious free time I'm working on that John Nielsen-Hall memorial collection.

R.I.P. II -- LATE AND LAST-MINUTE REPORTS: _Gavin Creel_ (1976-2024), US actor in the Broadway production of _Into the Woods_ and the forthcoming film version, died on 30 September aged 48. [SHS]
     _Bill Desmond_ (1941-2024), a founder of NESFA who was important in the early days of modern Boston fandom (though since long gafiated), died on 11 August aged 83. [MLO]

OUTRAGED LETTERS II. _Lawrence Person_ complains about _Ansible_ non-coverage of his big win in the prestigious Bulwer-Lytton competion for deliberately bad opening lines. Alas, space is always tight and Thog has little enthusiasm for the contest -- feeling that true badness should be sublimely unintentional -- but you can read all about it in _File 770_:
https://file770.com/2024-bulwer-lytton-contest-winners/

SOME LINKS from the _Ansible_ home page.
     _The Byte_ finally catches up with 'AI slop' submissions
https://futurism.com/the-byte/editors-sci-fi-magazine-disgusted-ai-slop
     On disabled access at the Glasgow Worldcon
https://marikness.wordpress.com/2024/09/22/glasgow-2024-a-worldcon-for-our-futures-though-perhaps-not-disabled-futures/
     SF2 Concatenation Autumn 2024 Newscast
http://www.concatenation.org/news/news9~24.html
     Jason Sanford: "What the Hell Is Going On With SFWA?"
https://www.patreon.com/posts/what-hell-is-on-110587141

THOG'S GOLDEN OLDIES from _Ansible_ 207, October 2004. _Genealogy Dept._ 'When a hot-air balloon crashes on a remote island, the crew discovers Dr. Frankenstein's ancestor carrying on the family work ...' (IMDB on _Frankenstein Island_)
     _Dept of Annoying Your Proofreader._ 'Aenea was excellent at chess, good at Go, and terrible at poker.' 'I'd spent ten months dealing blackjack and had watched a lot of gamblers; this eleven-year-old _[Aenea]_ would be one hell of a poker player.' 'Aenea [...] playing cards in the evening (she was a formidable poker player) ...' _Aenea speaks:_ 'Just an old pre-Hegira book that Uncle Martin used to read to me. He used to say that proofreaders have always been incompetent assholes -- even fourteen hundred years ago.' (all from Dan Simmons, _Endymion_, 1995)
     _Sirius Cybernetics Dept._ 'ENTER, the door chimed, as it slid open soundlessly.' (C.S. Friedman, _The Wilding_, 2004)


_Ansible_(R) 447 (C) David Langford, 2024. Thanks to Brian Ameringen, Lise Andreason, John Clute, Keith DeCandido, _File 770_, Glenn Glazer, John Gribbin, Steve Holland, Steve Jones, Leroy Kettle, Andrey Meshavkin, Chris Moore, Mark L. Olson, Omega, Lawrence Person, Andrew I. Porter, _Private Eye_, Marcus Rowland, Robert J. Sawyer, Mark Shainblum, Steven H Silver, Phil Stephensen-Payne, Nik Whitehead, and our Hero Distributors: Durdles Books (Birmingham SF Group newsletter), SCIS/Prophecy and Alan Stewart (Australia).

1 October 2024