Frankenstein Rex

FRANKENSTEIN REX

Adam Roberts

Gollancz hardback £25.  

**** (4 stars) review by Tony Lee

A dark-fantasy actioner, I, Frankenstein (2013), borrows a few key images from The Matrix (1999), a landmark SF movie that was cleverly parodied by Adam Roberts, as The Matrix Derided (2004). I note this because FRANKENSTEIN REX explores, and thoroughly exploits, a rich seam of ‘chosen-one’ super-heroics, about a re-animated hyper-being. A giant, he’s not quite human, but far more than just a (zombified?) jigsaw-of-man(kind), taking on the familiar name of his creator. The King has a practical, and yet curiously mythical, immortality that seems an existential side-effect of his seemingly invulnerable condition. This is a very much a political superhero novel, for sure, though it plays out like some satirical tract from Alejandro Jodorowsky, a subgenre work by Jonathan Hickman, or one of the weirder comics by Warren Ellis, instead of any typically-costumed champions, published by Marvel, or DC. 

FRANKENSTEIN REX by Adam Roberts

This story of a huge creature (not named Adam) obviously draws upon the well-known basics of Frankenstein lore, such as the lifeless body on a slab in a (mad?) scientist’s lab. But the timeline presented here is wryly askew, even if not essentially fragmented. Its franchising mentality, as a spin-off book, is wildly divergent, and just as innovative as previous narratives inspired by Mary Shelley’s classic, such as Alasdair Gray’s Poor Things (filmed by Yorgos Lanthimos, in 2023). Detailing of this epic alternative-history, with utopian aspects - like a global currency (‘franks’, natch!), collides with sundry often-subversive comic-book themes. Meetings with prominent historical figures, who are nowadays so popularised-by-media, that a refreshing take on famous conquerors is quite surprising (to me, since I rarely tackle alt. history).   

There’s a lot of business here concerning an English assassin, who might be a witty reference to ‘Jerry’ in The Final Programme (either Moorcock’s novel or Fuest’s cult-film), while the use of hi-tech firearms recalls The Day Of The Jackal. In captivity, the Englishman suffers ghastly abuses by French police, ultimately under absurdist commands from the comically fat, guv’nor. These ‘torture-porn’ chapters often seem like a morbid stand-in for the grotesque body-horrors that are expected now, after so many gruesomely depicted variations in the majority of Frankenstein movie adaptations. 

Jokey nerdisms like a “Moebius knot” might prepare readers for the author’s fondness for lesser-known allegorical references, like describing the tyrant Frankenstein’s rule as “procrustean oppression”. Any postmodern satire never slips from thrilling high-wire action into gross parody mode. Lyrical descriptions of terrorist chaos, and European warfare, remind us that “Poetry is the sea, lapping the coastline of our consciousness.” A hundredweight of keenly imagined what-ifs..? are cunningly balanced on a single fingertip, and although it’s not all done in the best possible taste, its revisionism maintains a certain aplomb. And yet, while Roberts’ engaging story attempts to greatly expand the literary power of the original, and also re-define the Frankenstein media mythology, it is, occasionally, so perfectly on-the-nose that you can almost hear a ‘boop!’. 

This Is For Everyone

This Is For Everyone

TimBerners-Lee

Macmillan hardback £25 

***** (5 stars) review by Tony Lee 

Not my usual choice of SF reading but, certainly, a genre-adjacent book, Tim Berners-Lee’s excellent memoir is most effective as a modern-history of how and why, the W.W.W. (world wide web, I’ll call it Web here) developed. From the 1980s’ home-computer boom, before the Internet (as we know it, today) arrived in the 1990s, an obvious-in-retrospect inspiration for ideas about the Web’s interconnectedness and vitally, interoperability, was Berners-Lee’s job at CERN, in Geneva. There, nationalism seemed to be absent if not pointless, and the multi-cultural concerns of that establishment’s scientific melting-pot, overcame language-barriers and scaled economic walls, in pursuit of a great prospect, that was, very simply - ‘for everyone’, as Tim claims, repeatedly. I would certainly agree that he’s done far more with technology, for humanity, than his famous contemporaries, multi-billionaire Bill Gates, and gadget-maker Steve Jobs, also born in 1955. 

You don’t need to have (like me), used a desktop PC for 25 years, published stuff, owned website domains, etc. because Tim fully explains his inventions, each, and every, step of the way, and if you already know basic stuff, about the Web, this book reads like a helpful refresher-course (I completely forgot ‘Yahoo’ was a backronym). How the Web grew, from its first ‘hobby’ server, to attracting over 5.5 billion users online in only three dozen years is such a fascinating autobiographical story, of truly International success, that THIS IS FOR EVERYONE is, undeniably, an important book. If you only buy one non-fiction text, this year, pick this one. It’s genuinely essential reading.

The book often mentions web ‘evangelists’, while comments from (or about) A.I. optimists versus dystopian-cult pessimism might prompt quasi-religious thinking, on right and wrong/good versus evil, whether (or not) any form of super-intelligence is likely or impossible... as tech ‘god’ or ‘devil’. It does all look, increasingly, as if we have a stark Wellsian choice of, only comic-book style, futures ahead (depressingly apocalyptic... or positively utopian?). But Tim argues against such polarised thinking. Global negotiations are still on-going, with many compromises to be expected.    

This inventor is not done yet. Sir Tim (aka: TimBL) also promotes an ‘intention’ economy, for the Web, over the current ‘attention economy’, that rules most toxic social-media platforms. His campaigns in favour of online-privacy have now resulted in practical stuff like a 'data wallet', offering ‘personal data sovereignty’ that has every individual “empowered by their own digital footprint”, with total control of details and strict sharing-limitations, like access for shopping, banking  transactions. It sounds far better than the Labour government’s ‘free’, and yet ‘compulsory’, digital ID (to be called ‘Brit-card’?), that was immediately criticised by civil-liberty groups.

Book Lovers

The Book Lovers

Steve Aylett

Snow paperback £9.99 

***** (5 stars) review by Tony Lee  

I have been a fan of Steve Aylett since the 1990s, and always loved re-reading his books, and comics. His writing combines wisdom and humour, but with a rare intelligence that never turns pretentious, as creativity in Aylett’s stories is a thought-provoking challenge. Aylett’s impact on genre literature appears wildly undervalued by most book critics, and the reading public. To me, Aylett is the post-modern equivalent of a Ray Bradbury, with practically unique merits in science fiction, fantasy, and mystery. Relevance to Bradbury is especially notable here as THE BOOK LOVERS plays like a thematic prequel to classic dystopia Fahrenheit 451 (1953), upgraded eloquently for the 21st century. Clearly, Aylett doesn’t have melancholy attitudes like the grandfatherly Bradbury, or nostalgic attachments to childhood dreams. Instead, with astonishingly witty approaches to narrative-framing conventions, and significantly economical character-building tropes, Aylett’s inspired by the likes of literary stylist Jorge Luis Borges. Playful channelling of tropes from Borges is particularly evident when Aylett’s deep-reading characters discuss entirely invented and yet influential books as if they’re reviewing novels or laudable stories from other writers. 

Despite frequently effervescent prose, the density of this work often feels like a far larger book “with pages like geological layers”. With Aylett’s humility here, an apparently ‘cult’ author in this fictional-English realm declares: “the world is not a golem for us to write a meaning upon” and later, he admits “you don’t want an idea burning a hole in the page.” The cream of concrete solidity with DNA scale info prompts absurd thoughts like tearing any page from this book to plant in the ground, and then expecting it to sprout instantly, as Jack’s magic beanstalk. THE BOOK LOVERS delivers metaphors with irony baked in, yet fearlessly deploys puns dusted for prints by forensic sarcasm. “A world that needs so many inspirational slogans to get through it is probably defective.” 

Charmingly, the quasi-steampunk subgenre explored in these pages offers far more than merely a convenient marketing label that this book wears much like a fashion statement. Dream-girl Sophie, an improbable heiress and, reportedly, a kidnapping victim, is also a heroine with fabulous “cherry sherbet chemistry”, seeming to possess an enviable charisma with enough personable appeal to easily win over full hearts and open minds. Top police officer on this increasingly weird case, D.I. Nightjar investigates and interviews suspects and holds “strangers to account in a land where precision is a liability and continuity an embarrassment”.

Fictional options here are like opinions. Everyone’s got some, if not all of them. A thinly shrouded commentary on cancel culture and climate crisis? Check. The key text for this puzzler might be anarchist bible, Truth’s Flying Visit, a cult-book by the Rook, claiming “we strive to individuate a mistake so as not to acknowledge the universal error”. In our cultural dystopia since the millennium, the quality of Aylett’s best work has a few rivals (Jeff Noon, Rudy Rucker, OK... William Gibson, maybe?) but no equals. Aylett might be the most sublimely conceptual author in any SF blend. He’s certainly the most quotable writer of this century, so far. Almost endlessly repeatable, in fact, as it would be far too easy to fill up column-metres of reviews with favourite lines from THE BOOK LOVERS. I hope, with this latest adventure, Aylett will inspire other writers to follow his leading authorial role, upping the ante for the highest practising ambition in English literature.

Other reviews... 

The Caterer (comic)

HyperThick (comic-book)  

Archived Aylett... 

And Your Point Is?

Atom (UK)

Atom (USA)

The Crime Studio

Fain The Sorcerer

The Inflatable Volunteer

Lint

Shamanspace

Toxicology

Steve Aylett interviews himself.

A Brief History Of The Future

‘Longpath’ futurist Ari Wallach’s TV show A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FUTURE has great commentary, by the likes of Neil deGrasse Tyson and George Monbiot, but also unexpectedly interviews Emmanuel Macron and Ellen MacArthur. Questions without easy answers mean this century’s problems demand imaginative solutions. 

Influential speculative-fiction is clearly not working fast enough by educational standards. Could 3D-printed homes, cyber-thumbs, or coral-farming save the world? Wallach explores naive dead-ends and inspired thinking, asking how can we safely ensure that dazzling sophistication and baffling complexity of humanity develops with sustainable results? 

Dunes

Top surrealistic space-fantasy Dune (1984) is the magnificently cinematic cosmic fairy-tale that genre-thieving Lucas’ clearly wanted STAR WARS to be. Although other directors tried to film Frank Herbert’s novel before (see Ridley Scott’s attempt), and since, David Lynch’s great masterpiece; sadly, “they tried and failed” and their stains became a warning. DUNE’s operatic strange sci-fi eclipses nearly all previous space-opera movies, including Fred Wilcox’s classic FORBIDDEN PLANET (1956), as when the seemingly limitless hyper-science of alien tech on the Krells’ planet Altair 4 is compared with later desert-world Arrakis’ hidden powers. Yet both psychological and philosophical mysteries about invisible forces (see also Jedi check-lists) are revealed by romantic innocence; when Duke’s heir Paul (Kyle MacLachlan, perfectly cast) contrasts with that of (mad?) scientist Morbius’ daughter Altaira. Fathers die, sometimes violently, but offspring usually survive... and might evolve.

“The sleeper must awaken!”

After reading Max Evry’s book A MASTERPIECE IN DISARRAY - a very good compilation of interviews with behind-the-scenes commentary and a great treasury of anecdotes, new interpretations, and reminiscence - I found it an excellent, if repetitive tribute; although its binding proved rubbishy when the hardcover fell apart halfway through my first reading. 

Then I re-watched the studio’s extended TV edition of DUNE (1988), with its clunky comic-book styled intro, and sometimes annoying narration. But even this flawed DVD release, that Lynch himself disowned (“I did not say this. I am not here.”) looks and feels wonderfully superior to John Harrison’s TV remake mini-series (2000). Presented in 4:3 ratio, the 158m. DUNE edition includes a spitting scene inspired by Frank Herbert's eco-aware novel, that fully demonstrates the mythic and vital currency of water. While extra scenes of character development, or depth, are welcome, some of the effects are repeated, a few miniatures are misused in this longer storyline resulting from clumsily revised edits, and additional footage of the Fremen lacks their blue eyes. It remains the best indication that a proper Director’s Cut from Lynch would certainly improve DUNE, much like Zack Snyder’s 4-hour JUSTICE LEAGUE was better than Whedon’s truncated ‘Josstice League’ of 2017.

What never fails to impress me about DUNE, in any of the studio’s cuts, is the picture’s fabulously bizarre atmosphere, strengthened by excellent use of sound effects, and peculiar details like the stunningly animated personal force-fields that are uniquely designed visuals. Of the Harkonnen villains, the diseased, insanely ranting, and almost-campily perverse, floating fatso Baron (Ken McMillan’s edgy psycho performance remains quite definitive) strives to embody the ‘most horrible man in the known universe’, and suceeds where all manner of Darths failed. Although the film's special effects might be polished a bit too shiny if redone by today's standards, following 40 years of technical advancements, the sheer wealth of artistic oddities in Lynch’s extravagantly imaginative DUNE ensures its lasting appeal. As a visionary fusion of quirky SF and grandiose fantasy with such a timeless quality, it seems to me that no mega-budget remake can hope to match it.

I enjoyed both of Denis Villeneuve’s remake movies, but even if combined they never equal the genius level of creativity that benefits Lynch’s original. Yes, the two-part adaptation is undeniably spectacular and vividly stylised SF; including more words, dialogue lines, and Fremen culture references, lifted directly from books of this genre franchise; plus the most cleverly designed ornithopters (like dragonflies), so far. 

And yet, this director also commits obvious mistakes (like bagpipes, for starters). Worst of all though is that he glaringly omits all but a token presence for the Guild Navigators, whose ghastly mutant appearance, and their space-folding powers, so energised the mixed-genre content of Lynch’s movie. This lapse by Villeneuve is unforgiveable because the complete lack of any Guild creatures excludes a major part of DUNE’s pulp-SF themes, simply to focus upon the less fantastic characters’ emotional baggage, and sundry cultural aspects in the world-building scenario. 

So, a messianic Muad’Dib (Tim Chalamet) wins screen-time for a bigger speech, that’s passionately delivered, but also a theatrical exemplar of grandstanding, to unite tribal Fremen freedom-fighters under his banner for a war-of-the-worlds plot that’s rather too boringly dystopian. I would always prefer to see a spectacular new vision about folding space. Giving actors more stuff to do was, ultimately, the downfall of superhero movies in the last 20 years. Villeneuve’s version of DUNE weakens the future possibilities for most blockbuster sci-fi beyond STAR WARS and STAR TREK franchises. Double-DUNE could and should have been a lot better than it is. As it stands, in the latest batch of classic-SF adaptations, even Goyer and Friedman's TV series FOUNDATION - amusingly resembling an Asimovian DR WHO - proved superior as epic space adventure and planetary romance.   

HyperThick

HyperThick

Steve Aylett

Floating World paperback $15.95

***** (5 stars) review by Christopher Geary 

“If you drink a glass of water while falling off a cliff it has the same effect as poison.” Another bundle of joys, brain-child of Steve Aylett, master-mind of indie comics, HYPERTHICK delivers madly inventive surrealism & frequently caustic satirical broadsides at peak levels of creativity for a stylised medium. Eccentricity of retro-flavoured comics art does style-critics no ersatz favours at all, while “horror expands to accommodate one’s endurance” with earnest defiance of 4-colours conventionality & rationalities taken away to extremes. “Sure, coincidence conducts electricity. But it’s not meant to.”  

Far from rectangular standards of sequential & fictional outlooks now, daze-trader Aylett plops dry wits into witnessing human worlds at bogus works & kilns of role-play. Creative cooking with gassy discharges, here’s gunpowder writing that modestly blasts even serviceable hyperbole with subconscious glee. Fresh icons: fractal-haunted rebel Su Pesto, haywire detective Biloxi Blake, pirate Fox Grave, wry blurter Benny the Hen compete for any attention-span using their tauntingly inspirational jazz, with keynote speech-balloons. “A ghost is the afterimage of someone not seen during their lifetime.” Aylett’s patented sarcastic mayhem looks increasingly likely, but you cannot guess the rest. Meanwhile this book's resident philosophical advertiser Harry McInch might denounce capitalism jokes while only his elusive figment 'Donna' knows why. 

“..hope we’re an elemental puzzle, but it’s all orphan symmetry I’m afraid.” All this, plus ‘Sedition Kitsch’, too. There’s clearly something apocalyptic for this multi-verse of twisty endings that emerge from dreamscape musings & medley (“zigzagging to please is exhausting”) of rambling themes, before...

Not sponsored by HORK

Affidavit: my name’s not Tony 

21st Century SF Movies

Year’s Best SF Movies 2000-19

This is my listing of the 20 best SF movies of this century, one from each year, so far... selected with due consideration for a subgenre variety, while avoiding too many franchised sequels and remakes. No apology for celebrating Golden Age of Superhero Cinema. See the complete listing at -
http://pigasuspress.blogspot.com/2020/01/2020-visions.html