Edge-Lit 10 - Quick Walk Through - Part 2

Hi Book Nerds!

Continuing the walk through of my experience at Edge-Lit 10 in Derby in early September.

Just had lunch so onto .........

Panel 3 - To Infinity and Beyond - The Rise of Modern SF.

This was an interesting panel and a favourite of mine as you found out some back story into New Doctor Who from author and writer Robert Shearman.  He has written for Television including Doctor Who and wrote one of my favourite Ninth Doctor episodes - Dalek.

Joining him was horror and Doctor Who author Mark Morris.  

Author of Doctor Who and Star Trek - Lower Decks, Chris Farnell was there too.  The last author was Tom Toner.  Peter Allison was the host.  He is also a writer and journalist.

They talked about modern science fiction and how it holds up today.  Tom let slip his Mum worked on classic Doctor Who on the backgrounds and Rob became an excited fan again.

Panel 4 - In Conversation with Sarah Pinborough.

Mark Morris interviewed prolific writer and author Sarah Pinborough.  Sarah is quite a regular at Edge-lit as I'm sure I've seen her every year I've been going.  She usually calls out at the raffle and is funny and R-rated.

Sarah told us a bit about her life and that to date she has written about 29 novels.  These include Insomnia, which she adapted into a television show for Paramount. She has also written Behind Her Eyes, now a Netflix show.

I'm sure she mentioned how she got into writing and that it was later in life but she has been writing ever since.  Sarah also talked about her screen writing and how it differs from novel writing.

Mark was impressed as Sarah once wrote two separate trilogies at the same time.  One YA and the other Fantasy.  I will definitely be checking her novels out now.

Panel 5 - In Conversation with Charlie Higson and Robin Ince.

Interviewed by author Johnny Mains.  Fast Show comedian and author of the Young Bond novels, spoke about his writing, dark humour again and briefly about Fast Show.

Author and broadcaster Robin Ince also spoke about his work and new book Bibliomania.

Again an interesting talk, finding out about the two authors.  My only regret is not going up to Charlie and saying hello and how much I enjoyed his comedy.

Raffle -

Sarah Pinborough again hosted the raffle.  For the first time since I've attended Edge-lit, I actually won a prize.  I was the first to win something.  I won 2 books from Indie Publisher, Northodox Press.  I won on orange number 477. 

Night Out.

After Edge-lit I had a great night out meeting old friends Kevin and Hayley.  Plus met new ones including Owain, Tom, Helen, Phillip, Donna and Neil.  Also a few that names escape me. Sorry.

Overall Edge-lit 10 was a fantastic time and one of my favourites.  They just need to bring a lunch hour back for Edge-lit 11.

Neil x

Edge-lit 10 Quick walk through -Part 1

 

Welcome Geeks!

Nearly two weeks ago I was leaving home to journey to Derby for a great time and experience.  

I met old friends and made some new ones and chatted about our love of story and writing.  I also attended some great panels featuring some top notch authors and entertainers.

I didn't make any notes like I did at the first couple of Edge-lits I attended, as I wanted to enjoy and take in the atmosphere.

Panel 1 - Why so serious? The comedy of horror.

This was an interesting panel which explored comedy in horror and vice versa.  With comedy shows like The League of Gents mainly being horror but the situations having comedy injected into it.

The panel had Peep Show and writer Isy Suttie, Fast Show comedian and writer Charlie Higson, comedian and author Robin Ince and writer and Doctor Who script writer Rob Sherman.  Hosting the panel was author Johnny Mains.

It was a great and humourous panel and they discussed how horror has a punchline like comedy, building up to a scare.

Panel 2 - Echoes of the Past - How History Shapes Genre Fiction.

This was an interesting panel discussing how genre is set in certain historical settings.  Mostly fantasy is set in the middle ages time period.

Chaired by author Charlotte Bond, the panel included Malaysian fantasy author Zen Cho, writer Sarah Brooks and horror and fantasy author Stephen Volk.

They discussed the growing influence of Chinese and Asian history for genre settings.  Also mentioned was genre fiction set in the 1800s with Stephen saying he would like to live in the 1850s.

Lunch -

Sadly there's no breaks anymore, which is a shame as the first couple of Edge-lits started earlier and there was an hour for lunch so you could mingle with others. 

That's now gone which is annoying because if you're hungry or need a break it means you miss out on an hour of panels or workshops.  Myself and my writing pal Steve agreed it would be good to bring it back.  The Quad would make extra money serving more drinks and lunches.

To be continued....

Edge-lit 10 and Derby Photos!

Hello Nerds!

At the weekend I went to Derby, to the Quad, and attended the tenth Edge-lit event.

An event for readers and writers of horror, fantasy, science fiction and more.

I really enjoyed the event this year and fingers crossed it won't be the last one.  I met some old friends and made new ones.

Here are some photos from Edge-lit and Derby over the weekend.  I hope to make a future post later this week giving more details.

Neil x

Alien: Romulus - Film Review

 

Hi Nerds.

At the weekend I went to see the newest film in the Alien/Aliens franchise.  A franchise for the most part I like a lot.  A franchise I've been collecting in book form for years. Which I've still to read!

The film starts with the Weyland-Yutani corporation investigating the wreckage of the Nostromo, the space ship from the first Alien movie, and finding a cocoon with a xenomorph inside. Still alive.

Obviously it doesn't end well as months later the space station which is separated into two parts, Romulus and Remus, is now in orbit over a mining colony.

The main character Rain and her android Andy, which has been found damaged by her father, are recruited by her ex Tyler and his sister Kay. Along with Bjorn and Narvarro.  They want to escape the mining colony and the slavery to visit the space station decaying in orbit.  They need the stasis chambers on board, so they can fly their hauler ship to a better world 9 years away and need to use the chambers.

They enlist Rain as they need Andy to access the systems on board the station.

Obviously once they get on board they accidentally disable the face huggers that are frozen on board for research.

They find a damaged android called Rook. He is the same model as Ash from the first Alien movie. They take a chip from him and insert into Andy.  This grants him more access to the station and updates him.  It also changes his prime directive to be loyal to Weyland-Yutani.

They then have to fight to survive and get away. Although Rook has sinister motives of his own.

Overall - 

A mixed bag which relies too much on the past films.  It pinches whole scenes and dialogue from the original films, which is a bit too jarring and annoying.  These include crawling in narrow vents, and Andy telling an Alien to "Get away from her, you bitch". 

The Offspring Alien at the end looks like the one from Alien 4. The worst theft from the Alien film is having the late actor Ian Holm show up as a damaged android.  It looks good in some scenes which is made up of prosthetic and AI CGI from a scan the actor had when making The Lord of The Rings.

Luckily they had permission from the late actors estate to do this.

The characters ain't too likeable and the cast are too young.  They could have done with a couple of older actors as the first 20 minutes of them moaning is like chavs in space.

The main saving grace is Andy the android, played by David Johnsson, who steals the film. The android goes from meek to dark when his chip has changed.

Although having his prime directive change felt too RoboCop.

There are some great action scenes in the film. Especially when they are chased by facehuggers and the alien later on.  Although some parts felt rushed and chopped up too much in edit, so some scenes were confusing.

It is a good watch with good action but probably needed more work on the script and edits.  It will be interesting to see if the make a sequel to this.  

Although the story to Alien movies and books are going to be similar.

Find abandoned planet/station, find facehuggers and chased and killed by the xenomorph.

Score -  6.8/10

September 2024 Update

Hey Book Nerds

Here we are in September.  We're coming to the end of Summer and will be entering my favourite season - Autumn.

With multicoloured, crispy leaves. Evenings getting darker earlier and it being colder.  Autumn is the perfect time for walks or sitting snug at home or in a cafe having a coffee or hot chocolate.  Preferably with a good book besides you too and chilling out.

August review -  Again I procrastinated and didn't do anything I set out to do.

This includes finishing Guard's Guard's or 77 Shadow Street novels.

I also didn't exercise and lose any weight in time for Derby and Edge-lit 10.

I also haven't written anything.  Blog posts were also scarce in August.  I only posted 3 times and the last post was 2 weeks ago!

September -  I should easily finish Guard's Guard's at least.  I hope to finish it before the 6th of September.

On the 6th of September I make my way to the fair city of Derby to attend Edge-lit 10 at the excellent Quad.

I'm looking forward to Edge-lit 10.  Although it has moved to September instead of July.  Fingers crossed it won't be the last and the Quad can sort it's financial woes out.

Two guests I'm hoping to meet are Fast Show and Young Bond author Charlie Higson.

Plus Isy Suttie who played Dobby in Peep Show and I had a crush on more than Olivia Coleman.

Link below -

 https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/events/edgelit10/

In September, because of Edge-lit I hope to blog more, as well as start my own writing again.

I also want to start exercising, even though I failed to lose weight in time for Edge-lit.

Hope you all have a great September.

Neil x