Website Found: Worlds Without End
It’s called Worlds Without End. What is it?A website featuring most anything an SF/F literature nut can want. It has:–A section about the top books in SF/F at any given moment, revolving around books that have won or been nominated for major awards and featured novels.–A section about authors, which lists nominations and wins, has featured authors, and loads of information about the folks that keep our imaginations soaring.–A section about publishers, which is basically like the books section, just about publishers instead.–A forum.–A store, featuring products for Worlds Without End.–An extensive resources sections, which lists magazines, conventions, and just about anything else you can imagine in relation to SF/F literature. Why is it cool?Because it is a remarkably well put-together website with a lot of valuable information for fans of SF/F literature. The owners have certainly put a lot of work into making it look professional and easy to navigate. Plus, it’s nice to know one of my favorite authors is pretty high up on the list of great authors. So, check this site out!(Don’t click the read more, there isn’t any more after this!)
Poul Anderson: One of the Greats
If you’ve never read Poul Anderson, you’re missing out. I recently came across this article that profiles his work (discovered here).I’ve been a fan of Poul Anderson’s work for a long and have set out to collect all his printed works (I have most of them actually). His writing has always been inspiring to me. I first read “Call Me Joe” by him many years ago and it was the spark that got me into science fiction in the first place. It was a strange story, and I think that’s what made me so intrigued: it had that sense of wonder and amazement.Shortly after that I started buying up old SF titles and even spend quite a few bucks one christmas building up a collection of Analog SF backissues (from way back when, actually; I currently have two big boxes full of these things and they’re wonderful). I’m not as well read as most SF nuts (I’ve yet to reaed all the classics), but if it hadn’t been for Poul Anderson I don’t think I would have ever started writing SF. Maybe I would have if I discovered some of the writers I admire today, but that’s shaky at best. Poul Anderson was the catalyst for my newfound obsession with SF. Granted, other writers preceded him and it was them that got me to eventually read Poul Anderson (Richard A. Knaak, actually, was my introduction to fantasy literature, with the exception of a little Tolkien and some classics I had read, and without Knaak I probably wouldn’t have jumped into fantasy as much as I did; Knaak is one of my favorite fantasy writers and I’m somewhat disheartened by the fact that he doesn’t write enough of his own stuff and spends most of his writing time on shared world things, which sucks, cause the Dragonrealm books were good).So, here’s to Poul Anderson, a gem among gems, if that makes any sense. And now I’ll bring it back to you:What one author got you to read science fiction or fantasy? Or, what author got you interested in reading at all, since some of us have only recently realized the wonders of reading?
Website Found: Uchronia
It’s called Uchronia: The Alternate History List. What is it?A website featuring extensive information on works of alternate history.Includes:–Lists of novels, anthologies, reference texts, and series that are printed in English and other languages.–Extensive introduction page which talks about the genre of alternate history, among other things. Plus there is a forthcoming page that lists all the works coming up, obviously.–Also is the home of the Sidewise Awards, which are given to the best novel and short form pieces of the year. Why is it cool?If you’re looking for a new alternate history stuff, this is probably the best place to go. Plus, it has its own awards. That’s cool in my book. So check it out! (Don’t click the read more, there isn’t any more after this!)