Starship Fonzie

Recently, I was asked by the Wisconsin Writers' Association to read and review a sci-fi/fantasy novel called The Citadel, written by Frank Dravis. Since it was the third in a trilogy, I read the first two volumes before reading the current, third installment. But I only wrote up a brief review of The Citadel. Here, I will go into more detail by incorporating my reviews of the first two books as well. The Citadel is the third in the "Dianis, A World In Turmoil" chronicles. It is set in a world so dizzyingly multi-faceted that Frank Dravis has to provide the reader with a detailed cast of characters, terrestrial and intergalactic maps, and continual background descriptions throughout every scene. This sometimes lends the stories a complexity which is difficult to follow, and the early chapters are prone to info-dumping. But later chapters skillfully capitalize on what was established before. When one gets the hang of it, it's really quite a good story. The first two vol...

Re-telling the Christ narrative is nothing new in fiction. Norman Mailer's classic work, "The Gospel According to the Son," or Michael Moorcock's "Behold The Man" come to mind. But Geoff Ryman takes a radically different approach based on an unusual, yet trendy, premise: What if Jesus were trans? At first, it seems ludicrous. Perhaps even gimmicky. But Geoff Ryman weaves a clever narrative that is both respectable and surprisingly plausible. Much of the story is told through Maryam, the Savior's mother, who, just like the original story depicts, gives birth without the aid of a man. And here begins one of Ryman's more interesting plot insights: of course Maryam's fatherless child would be female, because only the mother's line could be drawn upon. It's a simple and elegant argument, albeit one that betrays a modern knowledge of genetics - something no ancient person would have had. Maryam's child is named Avigayil, at least at first....

Greetings, all my fellow Milwookies, homo-sapiens, and all other sentient lifeforms of the Planet Earth. This is Starship Fonzie, the official podcast of the Milwaukee Science Fiction and Fantasy League. I’m your host, Eric J. Hildeman, and we’re going to let you know what’s going on in the world of sci fi in Milwaukee, and in the SFF world more generally. This podcast is being pre-recorded live from the headquarters of UNIT in central London, where the Doctor has defeated Sutekh for the second time. Actually, it's coming to you from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or as Milwaukee businesses are calling it, “That city where the economic windfall predicted by hosting the RNC is not materializing.” Seriously. Restaurants aren’t getting their private bookings, other local businesses are not getting any special orders ahead of the convention… it’s just not materializing. Catering? Not really materializing. So right now, it looks like the only businesses that will be making any money off this are...

Greetings, all my fellow Milwookies, homo-sapiens, and all other sentient lifeforms of the Planet Earth. This is Starship Fonzie, the official podcast of the Milwaukee Science Fiction and Fantasy League. I’m your host, Eric J. Hildeman, and we’re going to let you know what’s going on in the world of sci fi in Milwaukee, and in the SFF world generally. This podcast is being pre-recorded live from the deck of the Starship Discovery, where Michael Burnham has just entered a dimensional portal in an attempt at gaining the progenitors’ technology. Actually, it's coming to you from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or as Donald Trump calls it, “That awful city.” Really? I mean, fuck you too, fake-tanned asshole. Meanwhile it’s also come out in the news that Trump isn’t even bothering to get a hotel in Milwaukee. He’s going to be staying in Chicago and commuting up to Milwaukee for convention events. And everyone in Chicagoland is saying, “Hey, that guy can’t diss our neighbor Milwaukee like that! Th...

Emily Tesh has written an intriguing book. It's one of the Hugo Award nominees this year, and certain sci fi news outlets, such as the Octothrope podcast, have declared it the best candidate for a win. It's good, I can't deny that, but I'm forced to hold back a little bit of praise. ***Warning, some spoilers ahead!*** In this future world, Earth has long ago been destroyed by an alien consortium known as the Majo. Using an all-powerful technology known as "The Wisdom," the Majo nearly wiped out humanity. Now, several human colonies remain, most of whom have integrated into Majo culture. But there is one enclave that remains defiant, and seeks revenge for Earth. Val Kyr (a version of the name "Valkyrie") is the best female fighter in the misogynistic space station of Gaea, the aforementioned militaristic hold-out against the Majo. Val Kyr anticipates being sent for combat duty as her assignment upon coming of age. To her shock and horror, she is inste...

Well, hello out there, everybody, I'm going to record this anyway. Uh, I have blown my soundboard. So, I am forced to record this by speaking directly into a -- condenser microphone. That's why the sound quality is so poor, I apologize for that. But... on with the show. [Intro: Alice Anything by Testa Rosa] Greetings, all my fellow Milwookies, homo-sapiens, and all other sentient lifeforms of the Planet Earth. This is Starship Fonzie, the official podcast of the Milwaukee Science Fiction and Fantasy League. I’m your host, Eric J. Hildeman, and we’re going to let you know what’s going on in the world of sci fi in Milwaukee, and in the SFF world generally. This podcast is being pre-recorded live from the island city-state of Pabu, where Omega is trying to figure out what’s wrong with the trigger-hand of her recently redeemed friend, Crosshair. Actually, it's coming to you from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or as the rest of the world knows it, that strange place where you get a seemi...