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nwhyte's review
3.0
,a href="https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2926959.html">https://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2926959.html
This is a book of essays and other pieces by Philip Sandifer, all I think from 2015, the first four of which (comprising the first third of the book) address the Puppies controversy, and the rest being writings on various sf subjects, some of which I know about, some of which I don’t.
It’s not very long since the Puppy problems, and yet it seems like a very long time ago. Sandifer’s first, very long essay makes a lot of interesting points about the ideology behind the Puppies; the next two pieces, however, are a transcript of a conversation between him and Vox Day, and then a transcript of another conversation about that conversation, which now seems very self-indulgent (and indeed felt a bit that way at the time). It’s an issue that has passed for now.
The other very long piece in the book (taking up more than a fifth of its total length) is an excerpt from Sandifer’s ongoing work on Alan Moore, in this case analysing V For Vendetta, which I read earlier this year. I found this very interesting, explaining some of the elements of the book that had sailed past me on raeding it, and also elucidating very clearly the complicated circumstances in which the story was written and published.
That is followed by a piece about and two interviews with Peter Harness, author of the recent Doctor Who stories Kill the Moon and The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion. Unlike Sandifer, I am firmly in the camp that sees Kill the Moon as one of the worst Who stories ever, possibly the worst of New Who; the story’s take on the true nature of the Moon threw me completely out of any suspension of disbelief, and no amount of insistence on the fascinating points of the author’s artistic vision can fix that for me. However, I very much liked and enjoyed The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion, and the exploration of how the same mind could generate two stories which I rected to so very differently is well worth reading.
The book ends with more self-indulgence (not that that is necessarily a bad thing) in which Sandifer merges his own occult philosophy with the history of Doctor Who and the format of a Choose Your Own Adventure book. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it doesn’t need to.
Sandifer sensibly writes what he wants to, and quite often it’s been what I want to read. (I am looking forward to the next collected volumes of Tardis Eruditorum.)
This is a book of essays and other pieces by Philip Sandifer, all I think from 2015, the first four of which (comprising the first third of the book) address the Puppies controversy, and the rest being writings on various sf subjects, some of which I know about, some of which I don’t.
It’s not very long since the Puppy problems, and yet it seems like a very long time ago. Sandifer’s first, very long essay makes a lot of interesting points about the ideology behind the Puppies; the next two pieces, however, are a transcript of a conversation between him and Vox Day, and then a transcript of another conversation about that conversation, which now seems very self-indulgent (and indeed felt a bit that way at the time). It’s an issue that has passed for now.
The other very long piece in the book (taking up more than a fifth of its total length) is an excerpt from Sandifer’s ongoing work on Alan Moore, in this case analysing V For Vendetta, which I read earlier this year. I found this very interesting, explaining some of the elements of the book that had sailed past me on raeding it, and also elucidating very clearly the complicated circumstances in which the story was written and published.
That is followed by a piece about and two interviews with Peter Harness, author of the recent Doctor Who stories Kill the Moon and The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion. Unlike Sandifer, I am firmly in the camp that sees Kill the Moon as one of the worst Who stories ever, possibly the worst of New Who; the story’s take on the true nature of the Moon threw me completely out of any suspension of disbelief, and no amount of insistence on the fascinating points of the author’s artistic vision can fix that for me. However, I very much liked and enjoyed The Zygon Invasion/The Zygon Inversion, and the exploration of how the same mind could generate two stories which I rected to so very differently is well worth reading.
The book ends with more self-indulgence (not that that is necessarily a bad thing) in which Sandifer merges his own occult philosophy with the history of Doctor Who and the format of a Choose Your Own Adventure book. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but it doesn’t need to.
Sandifer sensibly writes what he wants to, and quite often it’s been what I want to read. (I am looking forward to the next collected volumes of Tardis Eruditorum.)
nekokat's review
4.0
Some of these pieces are absolutely excellent (the summary of the Hugo controversy, the critical analysis of Janelle Monae's music and the essay about Lemmings are standouts, as is the occult history of Doctor Who written in the format of a Choose Your Own Adventure). I enjoyed most of the shorter pieces relating to things I haven't seen, though I'm a bit annoyed to unexpectedly have had The Wasp Factory spoiled for me. (I don't normally mind spoilers, but if I'd known ahead of time that it's one of the rare stories that has a pivotal twist/reveal that will change the entire way you approach the story, I would've avoided this chapter. Ah well. Note bene: If you haven't read The Wasp Factory, and intend to, don't read this chapter.)
The Last War in Albion started out quite strong, even for someone who hasn't read V for Vendetta, but seemed to kind of lose its way when it devolved from its interpretation of said comic as an act of magickal warfare and began simply recounting (at length) the mundane politics surrounding the comic's publication. That one might be more interesting to someone who has read the graphic novel, but I'm unsure.
Finally, the podcast transcriptions were remarkably dull, even the ones relating to fandoms I follow -- I didn't expect to be bored by an interview with someone who adapted one of my favorite novels for TV, as well as wrote a couple of episodes of Doctor Who, and yet I was.
I recommend picking this up, if only for the title essay, but maybe don't do like I did and try to read it all in one go.
The Last War in Albion started out quite strong, even for someone who hasn't read V for Vendetta, but seemed to kind of lose its way when it devolved from its interpretation of said comic as an act of magickal warfare and began simply recounting (at length) the mundane politics surrounding the comic's publication. That one might be more interesting to someone who has read the graphic novel, but I'm unsure.
Finally, the podcast transcriptions were remarkably dull, even the ones relating to fandoms I follow -- I didn't expect to be bored by an interview with someone who adapted one of my favorite novels for TV, as well as wrote a couple of episodes of Doctor Who, and yet I was.
I recommend picking this up, if only for the title essay, but maybe don't do like I did and try to read it all in one go.
daveversace's review
4.0
A collection of essays about and responding to the 2015 Hugo Awards battles, expanding out into a celebration of some of the overlooked and underrated gems of 2015 science fiction and fantasy, and ending with an extraordinary occult interpretation of the entire history of Doctor Who presented in the form of a choose your own adventure book.
Sandifer's critical writing is as ambitious as its is effortlessly readable.
Sandifer's critical writing is as ambitious as its is effortlessly readable.
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