Uncreated Conscience

I meant to review both EVERNIGHT by Claudia Gray and THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan this weekend but I was somewhat incapacitated by extreme fatigue. Why? I’m not sure. I was fearful of coming down with some sort of illness, but after having slept all day Sunday, I awoke this morning chipper and ready for work (albeit out in New Jersey–the commute was surprisingly easy this morning). Saturday I hung out with Katranna, wherein we discussed our favourite types of books as she cooked me food (she’s so awesome) and had tea.

Floating about the brain this morning is the stigma of science fiction/fantasy. All over my Twitter account is this article about SciFi channel changing their name to SyFy in order to shed its association with “geeks and dysfunctional, antisocial boys in their basements with video games.” Firstly, excuse me, but I’m a geek and quite proud of it. I am also dating a geek in medical school and while we love our video games, he’s also decidedly not dysfunctional (well, more than usual) or antisocial (he’s actually more social than flitterygibbet little me). I generally find that geeks and nerds are the most interesting sorts of people to talk to.

Secondly, the name “SyFy” is simply ridiculous. No one, but no one, is going to read that and think “Hmmm, I wonder what that stands for. Perhaps this television station is full of interesting, non-genre related programming!” I’m not sure why network execs think that this move is going to prevent them from being “held back.” There is an audience for everything and while science fiction and fantasy are certainly somewhat niche, so are chick flicks and Lifetime television (there’s a stigma attached to those as well). Know thy audience; it will probably serve you better in the longer run. What have been the big blockbuster movies of the past five years? Comic book and fantasy movies. Spiderman, The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Harry Potter. Ain’t nothing wrong with science fiction and fantasy; they seem to be pulling in the big bucks. SciFi Channel has seen an increase in viewers in the past year, but I think in these rough economic times, it’s because science fiction and fantasy is a great form of escapism.

Thirdly, I take umbrage with the assumption that genre consumers are by and large 1) male and 2) antisocial and dysfunctional. I am girl, thank you. I am also probably freakishly well-adjusted (despite my attempts at the contrary). I am a girl who likes to read and write fantasy and graphic novels with two lovely parents who would rather have me shot than mooch off them by living in the basement (of which southern California doesn’t have any). Science fiction and fantasy is not merely elves and sorcery and other tropes and clichés; it can span anything from Charlie Kauffman’s Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to Haruki Murakami’s THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE to TV’s LOST.

More on fantasy as mode on another day. I did promise to review a few books after all.

Reviews of the following after the cut

1. The movie Tropic Thunder
2. EVERNIGHT by Claudia Gray
3. THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH by Carrie Ryan

(more…)

Today was rather unconscionably busy: fielding phone calls for El Jefe, reading partials, taking inventory of books. I had planned to post about science fiction/fantasy not as genre but mode (inspired by Sarah Monette) but cannot muster up the requisite energy to do so.

On the upside, had lunch with El Jefe today. He is a lovely, lovely man and it was incredible to have the opportunity to talk to him about his experiences as an agent of bestselling novels and founder of one of the most prestigious literary agencies in the business.

I was going to post when I got home but I got completely distracted by reading books. Last week I started Claudia Gray‘s EVERNIGHT at the Borders next to New York Penn Station while waiting for Bear to get into the city. It’s not exactly my cup of tea, being as it contains vampires, but it definitely kept me reading so I went back to Borders to read the rest. I ended up buying EVERNIGHT and Carrie Ryan‘s THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH, which has been earning fabulous reviews. (Full reviews to follow when I am slightly more coherent.) EVERNIGHT certainly had some of the most unusual twists ever in a vampire novel (which I loved) but I absolutely could not read THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH fast enough. Despite my fatigue, I’m afraid I shan’t be able to sleep for fear of the coming zombie apocalypse. Carrie Ryan’s novel reminds me a bit of Cormac McCarthy’s THE ROAD. I will elucidate what I mean by that later.

Right now I have to search my apartment for an axe or any other rusted gardening implement in case the zombies come get me in my sleep.