Lit Talk Descriptions (in numeric order) (count 93)

There's nothing like them for hooking a reader. "Call me Ishmael." "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." "Lessa woke, cold." "His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god." "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit." "Once upon a time there was a Martian named Valentine Michael Smith." What are some of your favorites? And can you do anything special to force a great first line or do they just happen?

Recent times have seen an explosion of science fiction and fantasy tales centered in cosmologies and mythologies outside of the North American mainstream. Writers discuss what draws them to these other mythos and what lessons they offer.

Some of science fiction's top critics talk about what it's like to be a science fiction critic. What skills does it take? Is it different from reviewing other types of fiction?

Well, does it? It seems like 100% of fantasy is set in medieval worlds with wizards and dragons and witches and elves and things. What other kinds of fantasy is there?

Not long ago, we were awash in Splatterpunks, Cyberpunks, and even Steampunks. What happened to those SF literary movements? What's the next trend?

It's Iron Chef for sonneteers and other poets. Come to this Bouts-Rimés event and write a poem with the day's mystery ingredients, share your work, maybe even win prizes.

Jules Verne's novel begat two motion pictures, a Classics Illustrated comic book, and the world's first atomic-powered submarine: not bad for inspiration. Who's the hero? Professor Aronax? Captain Nemo? Ned? Conseil? Why?

To a lot of hard SF readers, fantasy stories are those where the authors don't have to be consistent -- it works because it's magic. But good fantasy is consistent, within each world's own rules. What are the rules and the restrictions for writing a "good" fantasy.

Come listen to this panel tell tales 'guaranteed' to curdle your blood.

We all know The Lord of the Rings but what about his short fiction?

Some writers work in more than one genre. SF. Horror. Mystery. Romance. Westerns. Whatever. Does working in one area influence the way you write in another? Also, some books are in more than one genre. Does that ever work?

A classic saying within the world of science fiction. Is it true? Is that the age when you'll really develop a sense of wonder? Is it a good thing or bad? And what does it say for science fiction in general?

J.K. Rowling paints a negative picture of Slytherin House, its principles, and its students. Why would Hogwarts even have a house for teaching evil wizards? Isn't putting them together likely to end up just reinforcing their evil ways? Or will the final book in the Harry Potter series show us, somehow, that these characters aren't, um, lost to the dark side?

Twenty years ago, Cyberpunk was "it" in science fiction. It was bold, exciting, full of new ideas. What happened? Or is it still with us in different clothes?

There have been strong, female characters in science fiction at least since Jirel of Joirey. This genre hasn't avoided the pitfalls entirely but it's done better than many. Or has it?

So many science fiction and fantasy stories are set in Los Angeles. What makes Los Angeles such a great place to write about?

Over 100 years ago, L. Frank Baum started what may be the most expansive fantasy series ever, with over 40 "official" books and countless unofficial books, stories, comics, films, etc. with new works still coming out. Just what is the "magic" of Oz that keeps generation after generation coming back to it?

Vampires are making a resurgence. And not just with the usual horror readers. They've gone mainstream, with some tales of vampirism reaching the bestseller lists. But what about the books that cast a different light (you should excuse the expression) on vampires, as heroes with bad press?

John Varley said "We all love after-the-bomb stories. If we didn't, why would there be so many of them?" Why do we all love them? During the Cold War, the threat of nuclear annihilation was very real; today, the world is a different place, but the threat of annihilation is once again very real. Has the sub-genre changed? How are 21st Century post-apocalyptic stories different from those written during the Cold War era?

Which ten books would you want to take with you to a desert island? How about give to someone who says they don't like science fiction or fantasy? Give to a new reader?

A critical discussion of the novels and short fiction up for the Hugo Award this year. What's going to win? What should win?

A look at the University of California, Riverside's renown special collection on science fiction, including books, fanzines, and more. The librarians overseeing the collection talk about what treasures their library contains, what it takes to maintain such a collection, why people donate their collections to them, and why a university library is interested in keeping such an enormous horde of science fiction.

Science fiction has become more permissive over the years, as has most other media and genres. But are we now too violent? Is there anything wrong with violence as a theme? Should I punch out your lights if you disagree?

James Patrick Baen's life in science fiction and fantasy publishing started in the complaint department of Ace Books. He's been editor of magazines and novels, edited anthology series, and started his own publishing company, Baen Books, which publishes both on paper and on the internet. Hear friends and co-workers celebrate the life of this recently-lost mainstay of science fiction publishing.

We're always hearing the science fiction is a literature of ideas. And that this or that was a great idea. What just didn't work? What seemed like a good idea at the time but...

Finding the perfect science fiction or fantasy novel for your child, niece, or nephew.

What was Space Opera, What is Space Opera, is there a renaissance of Space Opera, or was there, where and when?

The vast majority of Young Adult novels being published today are fantasy. Why aren't there more SF themes in Y.A.? What themes aren't being addressed because of the comparative lack of SF Y.A. novels? Are older writers afraid to write about future technology for kids who are immersed in tech that would've been regarded as SF a few decades ago?

Pace of narration is crucial to the feel of novels, and is one of the most interesting but least discussed aspects of fiction. Two great novelists, Olaf Stapledon and Virginia Woolf, had a brief exchange on this topic in the 1930s, coming at the topic from their two extremities of stream-of-consciousness and cosmological narrative. Listen as Kim Stanley Robinson describes that interaction and its later effect on the two artists, as a starting point to a larger discussion of how time is used and described in novels.

Are cities just a background or do science fiction writers actually take advantage of the complexities inherent in cities? Do cities ever become characters?

A discussion of the use of historic fantasy, myths, horror, folktales, and weird and supernatural stories in modern Japanese genre literature.

Is the science fiction in Budapest different from the science fiction in Dubuque? What about the science fiction in Paris? London? Tokyo? How so?

High Fantasy. Hard Science Fiction. Dark Fantasy. Squishy Science Fiction. Some of science fiction's most outspoken reviewers give their opinions on what was worth reading.

An arrangement of convenience? How can we define the process, and what does each partner bring to it?

Panel Chair: Amelia Beamer, Michigan State 1. Chakram and Pigtails: The Heroine's Journey in Modern Media; Valerie Frankel, San Jose State 2. Gamer Culture; Sara Stepongzi, California State University, Northridge 3. Canon, Sues, and Canon Sues; Gabrielle Lissauer; California State University, Northridge

It's one thing to create characters, come up with who they are, what they're like, and how they talk. It's quite another to come into someone else's world and have to tell stories with and about those characters. How do you keep them the same and still put some of yourself into them? Or should you even try?

What does it mean to "teach science fiction"? How do you do it? How do you do it well? How do you incorporate science fiction into a curriculum?

What books and stories do you remember best from childhood? Our panelists talk about their favorites and ask about yours.

For some reason, some terrific books just don't sell. Nobody's ever heard of them. Others are taught in college as classics of the field, but no one can understand why. Our panelists let you in on some unknown classics you shouldn't miss while they dismiss some lofty `classics'.

A discussion of science fiction of the period. How was it different from what's out there today? Was it better? What are some of the best examples?

Panel Chair: George Cusack, Auburn University, Montgomery 1.Cosmetic Babes and Cosmic 'Bots: Techno-Gender relations in 1950s Sci-Fi Cinema; Robin Chin, UC Santa Barbara 2. The Credentia Walks Among Us: A Re-examination of Alraune in Book and Film; Sharon King, UCLA Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies

The author of Dragonflight, The Ship Who Sang, and so much more talks about her life and works and answers questions.

A discussion of the works and life of the late and much lamented Octavia Butler.

Why the feud? Can't we all just get along?

Australian authors and fans talk about the works being generated down under and how they differ -- if at all -- from what's created in the US and elsewhere.

Panel Chair: Heather Urbanski, Lehigh University 1. Defending the West: Tolkien After 9/11; Faye Ringel, US Coast Guard Academy 2. Whose America Is He Captain of?: Marvel Comics in the Post-9/11 World; George Cusack, Auburn University, Montgomery 3. The Future, After The Year 2000; Eric Sonstroem, University of the Pacific

Written by Aldous Huxley from outside our field, perhaps with many things to teach us. Protest and poetry hold it together. There's warning here; is there hope? Why? What makes the satire sting?

Kevin J. Anderson and Brian Herbert talk about continuing the Dune series of novels, working from Frank Herbert's notes and manuscripts, and how the project came about.

The first all-science-fiction magazine made its debut in 1926 and from it sprang other magazines, readers galore, local clubs, letter columns, and all that surrounds us today. Some of the early writers and readers of the magazine give their memories of how it affected them.

Lots of science fiction writers also write mysteries: Vance, Brackett, Kuttner, Boucher. Some, like Niven, have written science fiction mysteries. Is there something inherently linking the two genres or is it just wide-ranging tastes and interests?

Panel Chair: Kim Knight, UC Santa Barbara 1. The Urge for Immersion: the Social Distinction Between Forms of Textual Interface in Fantasy and Science Fiction; Richard Becker, Independent Scholar 2. Is Cyberspace Racialized? (Science Fiction Websites); Robin Y. Mabry Hubbard, Univ of Missouri, Columbia 3. Hypercapitalism in Hyperspace: The Exploitation of Fan Style; Brian J. Burns, George Washington University

From the science fiction pulps to today, stories with military settings have been a staple of science fiction. Why is it so popular? Does it work as well in fantasy stories? What are some of the best examples of military stories in either genre? And why don't some stories work?

We all know the great detective. He's somehow come to fascinate science fiction authors. There are probably hundreds of Holmesian references throughout science fiction, and some authors have come up with their own version, including Derleth's Solar Pons. What captivates us so about Holmes?

Is science fiction becoming too concerned about literary style at the expense of storytelling?

What is children's fantasy? How does it compare with "adult" works? Does a work ever crossover between the two areas and what does it take to do it?

2007 will mark the centennial of Robert Heinlein's birth. Take a tour of the life and work of one of the field's true masters.

It's been over 100 years since L. Frank Baum wrote the first "Oz" book. How has the world of Oz changed? Which books count? Which don't? What about the films? Oz historians and fans talk about that world over the rainbow.

What does it take to create "real" fantasy? Are there rules in a universe run by magic? How do you build a fantasy world?

Heinlein's "juveniles" might be his best. This one matches the convention's theme, and it's full of wonders. Matt Dodson taking a telephone from his luggage must have been astounding in 1948. That guess held up; others didn't; but how the author treats them!

Panel Chair: Faye Ringel, US Coast Guard Academy 1. New Maps of Hell, and 399 Other Exotic Territories: The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy; Gary Westfahl, UC Riverside 2. What we Talk About When We Talk About Fantasy Literature: A History of Critical Movements from the 18th-century to Today.; David Sandner, Cal State Fullerton 3. Twilight Zone for the Academic: Using Speculative Fiction in Cultural Studies; Heather Urbanski, Lehigh University

Is Science Fiction only aimed at Boys? We ask a selection of prominent authors to offer us their opinions and suggestions, for Girls and Boys too.

Are current "mainstream" writers like Neal Stephenson reinventing science fiction? What would you call the fiction appearing in "Wired" and "Mondo 2000"? Is it cross-pollination or merely self-abuse?

Cats seem to be everywhere. Science Fiction. Fantasy. There are entire anthologies of cat stories. And not just in our genre. Romances and Mysteries have more than their share of cat tales as well. Are dogs anywhere to be seen? Why is literature so catty?

A quick course in speaking Japanese for fans planning to go to next year's Worldcon.

"Young Adult" is a popular category. But why are some stories about sex, drugs, blood, death, and sex considered Y.A.? Who's reading Y.A. novels, and why?

A discussion of science fiction of the period. How was it different from what's out there today? From what came before it? Was it better? What are some of the best examples?

Just one book to go in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series? What do you think will happen in Book 7? Our panelists tell you their ideas and ask for yours.

Panel Chair: Eric Sonstroem, University of the Pacific 1. The Portrayal of Hacking in Film and Television; Eric Swedin, Weber State Univ 2. “The iPod Revolution and Fan Culture”; Amelia Beamer, Michigan State 3. Revisiting Remake: Digital Acting in Hollywood; Moira O'Keeffe, Univ of Pennsylvania

The winner of more Hugo and Nebula awards than any other author, not to mention being L.A.Con IV's Guest of Honor, Connie Willis has a large and varied body of work. Critics and fans (and some you-call-these-friends?) talk about what makes her work so great.

Can the science fiction field stay the same? Or is it like a shark: move or die? If it is a shark, where is it going?

Tim Powers discusses books he would reccomend and then asks how one should write fantasy and what particular challenges it presents & how to deal with them and why fantasy still strongly affects people even in our skeptical high-tech age

Authors and fans from Japan talk about the works being created there and how they differ -- if at all -- from what's written in the US and elsewhere.

Panel Chair: Brian J Burns, George Washington University 1. Real Freedom according to The Prisoner; Kim Paffenroth, Iona College 2. I want my RAH TV...; William H. Patterson, Jr., The Heinlein Scholar, U.C. Santa Cruz 2003-2006 3. The Mockery of Moronic Media, or, Why Does the Monster Always Eat the Reporters First?; Tiffney Quin Mortensen, California State University, Northridge

With the emergence of authors like Stross, MacLeod, Vinge, Egan, etc., Hard SF is making a comeback. What's brought it back to the fore? Or did it ever really go away?

Examples are many: Suzy McKee Charnas's "Motherlines" and Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower". But was it just a child of the '70s or does this sub-genre of fantasy and science fiction continue to thrive. Why or why not?

Sure, Verne was before him and there were others around the same time, but the popularity and acceptance of his "scientific romances" makes a strong case for his being the father of the form. Come hear about The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, and First Men in the Moon, and about his lesser-known works like The War in the Air and Tono Bungay.

Panel Chair: Kim Knight, UC Santa Barbara 1. LETO II, THX-1138, LOGAN 5, AND 3JANE: Numbers in Names in Science Fiction; Elizabeth Swanstrom, UC Santa Barbara 2. Deconstructing Fantasy and Science Fiction as Mysteries; Michael Carniello, Independent Scholar 3. Forced Isolation: Communism vs. Individualism in Ender's Game; Antares Alleman, University of Texas at Arlington

We all know about Narnia and Heinlein juveniles. But what else is out there? What's new that we might not know about?

Science Fiction and Fantasy writers like Poul Anderson and Stephen Donaldson have written mainstream mystery novels. Larry Niven, Hal Clement and George Alec Effinger have combined the genres. What works? What doesn't?

Some fictional creatures are just too fictional to exist. What are some of the more outlandish and improbable aliens and mythical creatures you've read about or seen in the media?

Why is science fiction so white? The characters seem almost all to be Caucasian or Alien. Is this simply because so many of the writers are white? (And why is that?) Or are there marketing concerns at work? Should we care whether Kimball Kinnison or Teela Brown is Black, White or Hispanic?

A discussion of science fiction of the period. How was it different from what's out there today? From what came before it? Was it better? What are some of the best examples?

A discussion of the tradition of Mars exploration stories in SF, exploring the evolution of the sub-genre from its planetary romance roots to the current hard SF mission-to-Mars stories.

Can you really tell if a book is good by randomly opening it and reading a page or two? Our panelists will read selected works aloud and let the audience decide if it was any good. Then they'll reveal what it was they were reading from. Oops.

Charles N. Brown, editor in chief of Locus, conducts an indepth interview with Guest of Honor Connie Willis about her work, but more about her life, the reasons she writes, and where her humor comes from.

Science fiction has had a moniker of being junk food for the mind; escapist fare only. Is that true? Not all of it is literature but surely some of it must be? Mustn't it? What literary trends can be found? What will withstand the test of time? And does it matter?

Ray Bradbury, one of the mainstays of science fiction and fantasy literature, talks about himself, the field, and the world.

C.L. Moore wrote well with her husband Henry Kuttner; she wrote well alone. This masterly novelette explores beauty and attraction with almost inhuman resonance. It probably could not have been written by a man or in any other genre.

It's an accepted truism in critical circles that If your motivation in writing is to promote a political, social, or cultural agenda, you're not going to produce great art. Is that really true? What about the works of Joanna Russ, Octavia Butler, Allen Ginsberg, Phil Ochs, or Neil Young? Is the truism actually false or is there something more to it?

What books would interest kids (or adults) who enjoyed Harry Potter? For many, Harry was the first fantasy they read. Why has it drawn so many and where can they go now?

Some people feel that "seeing all the rivets" is what makes science fiction good. But does it make Hard SF too stiff? Are there interesting characters in Hard SF books? Can they have the action of an old-fashioned sword-and-starship swashbuckler and still be good?

Discussion and appreciation of the lesser-known works of Philip K. Dick. What did you think of "Now Wait for Last Year"?

It's not just Cthulu anymore.