Reincarnations

[adelaidesean]

What would happen if reincarnation was real and didn't only go forwards? What do Feynman's time-travelling electron and the velocity of money have in common? One possible answer to both questions is in "The End of the World Begins at Home", which has been reprinted on-line in the e-anthology Journeys of the Mind, compiled by Sonny Whitelaw and published by Double Dragon. It's an odd piece for me, tapping into millennial fears and my half-hearted study of Economics almost twenty years ago. It was first published in Borderlands and I've always had a soft spot for it. I hope it'll be happy in its new home .

(And while on the subject of reprints, this time in translation, I'm pleased to report that The Resurrected Man and the Orphans trilogy have been picked up by Editions Bragelonne in France. This is great because I can actually read French. C'est fantastique!)

Comments

[damienw]

2. Met a couple of the Bragelonne eds in Glasgow, never got to Paris to hook up with them, but they are good guys, I think.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Excellent! That's good news. :-)

[redactormajor.livejournal.com]

Hi, Sean, is that a letter from you in this week's New Scientist?

[ladnews.livejournal.com]

Sure is. One of my favourite hobby horses, that. Here's the full text for anyone who might have missed it:

"The article on enhanced humans states that "death will never be optional" (13 May, p 35). Nonsense. It is simply an option most people choose not to exercise every day. It is also not legal to exercise it. Until the right to choose euthanasia - to end one's life gracefully - is accepted, the extension of human lifespan is a moral, social, medical and personal disaster waiting to happen.

"The right to live must be accompanied by the right to die when one chooses. I can think of nothing worse than being forced to live beyond my means, and I suspect that many of this generation's centenarians may be facing such a terrible fate right now."

[redactormajor.livejournal.com]

Personally, I dislike the idea of economic factors playing any role in life or death decisions ...

Anyway, someone at Fantasybookspot has reviewed Geodesica: Descent (http://www.fantasybookspot.com/node/1236).

I review for Fantasybookspot too, but I'm thinking of reviewing the Geodesica books for my site (http://www.xenoarchaeology.org).

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Personally, I dislike the idea of economic factors playing any role in life or death decisions ...

By "means" I mean not just financial means, but social and psychological as well. Poor word choice on my part there.

Anyway, someone at Fantasybookspot has reviewed Geodesica: Descent.

Hey, thanks for that. I'm sad the reviewer didn't connect with the characters (particularly when their emotional experiences are so intimately related to mine) but pleased the rest of the books hit home.

Hey, love your site, Steve. I wanted to be an archeologist as a kid, and still intend to go on a dig one day. The opening of Al Reynold's REVELATION SPACE could've been written just for me, combining big spaceships with an excavation on an alien planet. Perfect.

[redactormajor.livejournal.com]

Heh ... Alice Gorman, an archaeologist from Adelaide, was just telling me that she'd corresponded with Reynolds about his depiction of archaeology ...

I know what you mean about spaceships and archaeology. Awesome.

The way I see it, we have more chance of coming across evidence of an vanished civilisation than an active one, because of

a) the lifespan of civilisations being slight compared to the age of the galaxy; and

b) the speed of light making interstellar communication asynchronous. Any message we receive is likely to be either a relic of an extinct civilisation, or an historical snapshot of an earlier stage in an existing civilisation

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Here's some late news: JOURNEYS is a bestseller (http://www.ereader.com/feature/book/category/18) at eReader.com (or it was when I was sent the link). Hurrah!

[russellk.livejournal.com]

Slightly off topic, but prompted by the music: isn't Airdrawndagger fabulous? Have you heard his Xpander EP?

How much of the anti-euthanasia feeling is prompted by one's own fear of dying?

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

isn't Airdrawndagger fabulous? Have you heard his Xpander EP?

I really, really like "airdrawndagger". As an album, it has the most exquisite shape. Every couple of years I stumble across a great electronic album and thrash it to death. Sven Vath's "The Harlequin, the Robot and the Ballet Dancer" was one of them, as was Underworld's "Second Toughest in the Infants". There may be a connection between silly titles and the quality of the music...

I'll track down "Xpander" and give it a listen. I'm a little out of touch with music at the moment. Any other recommendations?

How much of the anti-euthanasia feeling is prompted by one's own fear of dying?

A lot, I reckon. And ironic, really, that the conservative neo-Christian lobby is so anti-euthanasia. What've they got to be afraid of, given what they expect to receive in the afterlife?

[russellk.livejournal.com]

I have Xpander on CD and vinyl - could you use the vinyl?

As for recommendations, I had a peek at your Desert island Disc list and we do share a considerable number of favourites. These are worth looking at:
• Music Has The Right To Children - Boards of Canada
• Snivilisation - Orbital
• U.F. Orb - The Orb
• .ky - Lemon Jelly
• Rest Proof Clockwork - Plaid
• Bytes - The Black Dog
• Bootleg Babies - Underworld (learn about this at http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1142301. I got a copy *gloat*)
• Darren Emerson's Underworld Mix (a JBO promo: http://www.discogs.com/release/168770) I have a copy (bigger gloat)

I'll shut up now.

[ladnews.livejournal.com]

Thanks heaps for this. There's some stuff here I've never even heard of. Orb and Orbital are old favourites, and the Emerson gets a frequent rotation down here. When's he going to release a solo album, a la Sasha?

[ladnews.livejournal.com]

Oh, and yes, the vinyl of Xpander would be fun, if you can spare it. Perhaps we can trade?

French translation

[(Anonymous)]

Dear Sean,

I've found your blog (in fact, a friend on our forum gave us the link :-) I happen to be your French editor at Bragelonne. My name is Jean-Claude Dunyach, I'm in charge of the Bragelonne SF collection, together with my faithfull scout and assistant, Tom Clegg. The Bragelonne Bosses (know in certain circles as "the Brage Dream Team" are Stephane Marsan and Alain Nevant...
So I though I'd just say hi, and leave you my coordinates, in case of need (I really enjoyed your books, btw - I was able to read the advanced uncorrected proof of Resurrected Man, courtesy of my friend JM Lofficier).
So you can contact me at jean-claude.dunyach@wanadoo.fr if requested. We're very excited here at the prospect of having your books in our collection (see the Bragelonne Forum, here : http://www.bragelonne.fr/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4087&highlight=

All the best,

JC Dunyach

Re: French translation

[ladnews.livejournal.com]

Hi Jean-Claude

Wonderful to make your acquaintance! Thanks for your kind words and for picking up the books in France. I'm really excited about this, and I hope they do well for you. I'll visit the forum soon. :-)