Tag Archives: criticism

All mediums are equal – an end to science fiction tribalism

Another month, another inadequate pay-cheque. More empty days and suffocating nights alleviated only by cheap hooch, regrettable takeaways and the occasional all-too-brief orgasm. This is your life… and this is the return of Blasphemous Geometries.

Blasphemous Geometries by Jonathan McCalmont

The critical language of science fiction is balkanised according to the media form which the work being discussed belongs. Jonathan McCalmont suggests it is the critic’s place to encourage a merging of genre’s disparate media tribes. Continue reading All mediums are equal – an end to science fiction tribalism

Criticism of criticism… Fruitless Recursion is go!

Fruitless RecursionHere’s a heads-up for Futurismic regulars who don’t just like reading genre fiction, but who also like reading writing about genre fiction, and who would be interested in reading writing written about writing about genre fiction*…

Blasphemous Geometries columnist Jonathan McCalmont has just committed multiple counts of meta-criticism by posting the first full issue of Fruitless Recursion. Here’s the list of articles for you to get your teeth into:

  • Alvaro Zinos-Amaro’s review of Barry N. Malzberg’s Breakfast in the Ruins.
  • Martin Lewis’ review of Roz Kavenay’s From Alien to the Matrix.
  • Paul Kincaid’s review of David Hajdu’s The Ten Cent Plague.
  • Jonathan McCalmont’s field report on Paul Kincaid interviewing Christopher Priest.

Something for everyone, then. Aspiring meta-critics, take note – Fruitless Recursion is a paying market for critical works, so get writing!

[ * Try saying that quickly before the first coffee of the day has kicked in. ]

How to define a genre … and why not to bother

Blasphemous Geometries returns, ready to bask in your merciless indifference.

Blasphemous Geometries by Jonathan McCalmont

This month Jonathan McCalmont has been thinking about that perennial discussion that is mathematically certain to arise in any situation where three or more sf fans or critics are gathered – how do we define science fiction? Jonathan has decided that we should stop trying. Continue reading How to define a genre … and why not to bother