The SF Site: Letters to the SF Site

Letters to the SF Site

We love letters. They make us think. They make us laugh. They make us sit up and take notice... and get a payment in before service is disconnected.

Seriously, though, we enjoy hearing what you have to say about the SF Site. If you've got a comment or thoughtful suggestion, or if you just want to complain about a dead link, we want to hear about it.

Light Play

My science fiction book is being published by a writers' group on their website. I'm interested in getting feedback. The book's free to read online.

Here's the blurb:

"Richard Lockmann never met Caroline Denaro 'in the flesh.' It was meeting her out of it that nearly killed him. Her touch was as potent as her raspy pleas for help.
"She lured him into a world of high-powered genetic research, where good and evil no longer existed -- and where there were no boundaries between species or kingdoms. Where lethal viruses, and mutating genes, were considered state-of-the-art. A world that quickly disintegrated as death began to stalk its makers.
"Lockmann learns that modern science wields no more power than modern weapons, when the natural laws have been violated. The framework of good and evil -- so incompatible with scientific objectivity -- suddenly becomes more important than life itself."

To read Light Play, go to http://www.writershangout.com/, click on the VIEW flashing icon, then follow it through until you get to Light Play.

Thank you for your help. Cheers,
N.D. Hansen-Hill

Realms of Fantasy

One magazine I really like is Realms of Fantasy. Why isn't this fine magazine on your list?

Jerome

We like Realms of Fantasy a lot too -- it's one of the best magazines out there. But we only list genre magazines with websites, and Realms of Fantasy doesn't have one.

Looking For...

Slow Glass

Dear Editor,

In the Independent on Sunday for August 8th, I read a review of Vienna Blood by Adrian Matthews, newly published by Cape. To quote the review:

"Matthews' other predictions have more charm. 'Slow glass', through which light takes five years to filter, is farmed on the shores of Alpine lakes to provide scenic views for the windows of inner-city housing developments."

I seem to remember reading about 'slow glass' years ago. Can any of your readers, with better recall than me, tell me where I read about it?

Many thanks. Pleased to see, after a tour of websites, that there are still some people for whom science fiction means reading.

Roy Booth,
University of London
R.Booth@rhbnc.ac.uk

Now that you mention it, that does sound vaguely familiar. Was it maybe by Samuel R. Delany? Perhaps one of our readers can help...?

Looking For...

Memories from childhood...

I came across your site while doing a search for 'young adult science fiction.' I beg your help!

The other day a series of vaguely remembered stories popped into my head. There were two series of SF books and one of fantasy, all by the same author, that I read when I was a kid. They were in the young adult/children's section of the library.

SF series 1:
was about this guy who was like the last 'legionnaire' or something of that sort. He had a telepathic (?) sidekick who flew his spaceship. His bones were unbreakable because, while undergoing some kind of treatment for radiation poisoning, he'd had his bones replaced with synthetic ones. He flew around fighting... I don't know, crime or something.

SF series 2:
was about this rag tag band of kids in the future... At some point they get stranded on this planet with a homicidal maniac named, I think, 'crusher'... There's a climactic scene in one of the books where this huge gang of kids turns on their leader... There were lasers and such. Sorry, not too helpful.

Fantasy series 1:
was about a gang of kids who all had talents. For instance there was a deadly knife thrower/fighter who was blind. The main character was this kid who could summon elemental forces. They went around... I don't know, fighting crime or something? There was a climactic battle between an evil thing made out of crystal and a singing demigod.

Sorry, I know this is all absurd, but if you have any idea who this author is or what these books are (or if you know where I can find out), please let me know. I'll be in your debt.

Thanks,

Amar Pai
t-amarpa@microsoft.com

All 3 of these sound like they may have been comic books. But, sorry, no memory bells going off in my belfry. Maybe our readers can help...

A Novel of Art and Blood

I am a librarian trying to find the title and/or authors of a book. It is a novel written by two or more women. The plot: a society is controlled by families who make art. They use blood in paintings to gain control over others -- the better quality painting, the more control. The setting is medieval and it may not be on earth. Thanks for any suggestions you can give me.

Carolyn Skene

This sounds suspiciously like The Golden Key by Melanie Rawn, Jennifer Roberson, and Kate Elliott. There's an SF Site feature review (with publishing info and cover art), if you're looking for more details.