Category Archives: science fiction

Trek vs Wars

Posted on Wednesday 14 May 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

A long Facebook post by David Gerrold a few days ago captures my own feelings about Star Trek vs Star Wars, and since I can’t figure out how to link it, I’ll quote it below, and hope he doesn’t mind. … Continue reading →

Posted in Films, science fiction | Comments Off on Trek vs Wars

Passage from Clarke, 1

Posted on Wednesday 14 May 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

Science fiction isn’t about prediction, of course, but some SF authors do take seriously the idea of projecting future possibilities. I’ve read several works by Arthur C. Clarke in the past month, and am rallying my notes on them for … Continue reading →

Posted in Arthur C. Clarke, science fiction | Comments Off on Passage from Clarke, 1

Goonan Quotes

Posted on Sunday 4 May 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

Like the meaty interview with Joan Slonczewski a couple months ago, Locus Magazine’s May interview with Kathleen Ann Goonan, of which I posted excerpts this afternoon, has several passages of particular interest to my theme here. About science fiction: At … Continue reading →

Posted in Quote at Length, Science, science fiction | Comments Off on Goonan Quotes

Diversity in Science Fiction, Two Examples

Posted on Friday 11 April 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

I’ve noted here and on Facebook that science fiction generally aligns with progressive values; science fiction is typically about speculating how things might be different, celebrating discoveries of what is new and celebrating conceptual breakthroughs of understanding, rather than reflexively … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Personal history, science fiction | Comments Off on Diversity in Science Fiction, Two Examples

Lucius Shepard, RIP, and Readerly Notice

Posted on Sunday 23 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

I did not know Lucius Shepard, beyond seeing him across the room (at the bar) at some con, perhaps the Portland Westercon in 2001, looking back at my schedule. But as a reader of his, I have the following observation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, science fiction | Comments Off on Lucius Shepard, RIP, and Readerly Notice

From Bible Stories to Science Fiction

Posted on Saturday 8 March 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

Following up Thursday’s post, San Francisco Chronicle’s Mark Morford (via Alternet) explains the motivations behind the latest Christian movie, Son of God. There is tremendous money to be made endlessly reinforcing what the masses have already been told to believe, … Continue reading →

Posted in Films, Religion, science fiction | Comments Off on From Bible Stories to Science Fiction

Panic and Alarm (and Why This Is About Science Fiction)

Posted on Thursday 27 February 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

Salon: I lost my dad to Fox News: How a generation was captured by thrashing hysteria Sad case study of a man whose father disappeared into the paranoid, outraged worldview of Fox News. Like certain kinds of religious extremists, Fox … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, Science, science fiction | Comments Off on Panic and Alarm (and Why This Is About Science Fiction)

Her

Posted on Monday 6 January 2014 by Mark R. Kelly

I am of mixed minds about HER, the Spike Jones written and directed film, set in a near-future Los Angeles, about a dweeb (Joaquin Phoenix) who falls in love with the new artificially intelligent operating system (installed on his home … Continue reading →

Posted in Films, science fiction | Comments Off on Her

David McRaney 2, Gravity, Haiyan, GRR Martin

Posted on Tuesday 19 November 2013 by Mark R. Kelly

I’ve been meaning to close out my thoughts on David McRaney’s brilliant second book, YOU ARE NOW LESS DUMB, which I first posted about a month ago. First, let me follow up on his ‘narrative bias’ described in the first … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Notes, Lunacy, Philosophy, Religion, science fiction | Comments Off on David McRaney 2, Gravity, Haiyan, GRR Martin

Gravity

Posted on Sunday 6 October 2013 by Mark R. Kelly

[Capturing my Facebook post as a blog post.] Just back from seeing Gravity. It’s quite a ride — spectacular in many ways. Terrific effects, portrayal of people in orbit over Earth, and even the simulated zero-G (or micro-G) movements look … Continue reading →

Posted in Science, science fiction, Space | Comments Off on Gravity