Poul did a throwaway story that I’d love to see expanded into a series.
A group of time travelers from 4,000 AD travel back to Renaissance Italy. They run into an evil baron and his henchmen, including one very learned monk. A little torture and the Italians have their own time machine. They set up a base in 10,000 BC and raid across time. They know that the Time Patrol can only use things in the historical record, so as long as they keep a low profile they’ll never get caught.
I always try to go by publication.
Someone put it this way [they were talking specifically about the Conan stories]. If you meet someone and get to chatting you don’t tell your story in chronological order. Maybe the first story you tell is about what happened at work, or your most recent vacation. After you’ve known them a while you talk about grade school.
That’s my opinion.
Here are some old school paperback writers you might not have heard of. I present them in no particular order, just off the top of my head. I found them all on wire racks in drug stores, lo these many years ago…
Robert Beck aka Iceberg Slim. If you ever wondered why there were so many rappers with ‘Ice’ in their name, it’s because Iceberg Slim was the author most widely read in the US prison system. I particularly liked ‘Trick Baby’ the story of a Black conman who could pass for White.
Donald Westlake aka Richard Stark. The other most widely read prion writer. Stark’s ‘The Hunter’ has been filmed about a dozen times. His crooks are unemotional professionals.
Tanith Lee. The Goddess-empress of the hot read. ‘Night’s Master’ has Satan as the hero. Every night he flies from his palace to seduce and/or terrorize mankind.
Enjoy.
‘War Of The Wing-Men’ is a good one to start with.
You say that like it’s a bad thing.
iirc, it was in "War Of The Wing Men’ where a princess has been traveling through the galaxy looking for a human male to sire her child. She ends up picking a fat, boorish space trader over the hero-type because the trader actually knows how to get things done.
I think Dick was writing to be read in a particular time and place. Take Dashiell Hammett. ‘Red Harvest’ works a century later. there are some references that are dated [wearing a red tie] but overall you can give the novel to a modern person without a great deal of explanation needed. ‘The Thin Man’ requires a ton of annotation to be understood.
imho.
What boggles my mind is that there have been about fifty movies based on Philip K. Dick and zero based on Poul Anderson.
Anderson has galactic empires, roguish heroes, dozens of alien species, strong females, etc etc.
NY Times used to have a series where the reporter would sit with two celebs. One that stands out was a conversation with Anjelica Houston and Sophia Coppola. Both are third generation Oscar winners. That’s the kind of interview I like to read.
Vapid interview, don’t bother. mho
Robin and Steve Martin once did ‘Waiting For Godot’ at Lincoln Center.
Apparently there’s no video avaialble
[off topic?]
It’s always funny to me when I see science fiction where aliens and humans are speaking each others’ language. Listen to a new student try to handle pronunciation in a foreign tongue and you will see what I mean. I’m sure Klingons will have exactly the same voice boxes as humans.
Thanks.
If you’re going to post something, take the time to explain what you actually mean.
Either you think A] Amazon can do a great job or
B] it’s a misuse of the word ‘enshitification.’
Broccoli’s father produced the original Sean Connery classics, and she grew up with the franchise.
The bosses at Amazon only got control because of a deal they made where the franchise was part of a much bigger package.
Of course they aren’t going to listen to the woman.
This is why “enshitification” is the word of the decade.
Merry Festivus
It’s a different revenue stream. “Highlander” wasn’t a box office success, but it got a second life thanks to VHS/DVD sales.
Another great double standard. The GOP will tie FDR to Stalin in a heart beat, but cheerfully throw away the man who created the modern Republican Party.
[off topic?]
Matt Damon gave an interview and made this point. Back when he started producing in the 1990s the DVD release gave a movie a second life. That gave the creators a little leeway to play around. Now a movie is tie to a big opening weekend, so the makers have to stick closer to the formula.
I’d put ‘The Expanse’ at the head of the line