The focus on the mundane makes the second section of the novel somewhat less than riveting, but that, argues Roberts in the illuminating afterword, is the whole point of the thing. Hector, making the transition into adulthood and independence doesn't even realise that the glory days are at an end. The patterns we learn in our lives endure beyond the end of things as we know them. The point is elegantly put, but perhaps at the expense of action and dramatic tension.
The third and final section takes the form of a surreal vision that comes to young Hector. Roberts explains that he went to great lengths to allow Splinter to flow unimpeded from his subconscious, a claim that is validated by the closing pages of the book. The abstract ending eschews easy answers. The questions raised enter the reader's own consciousness and hence gain a lifespan that exceeds the fundamental act of reading.
Stylistically, the first part of Splinter calls de Lillo and Auster to mind. The writing is crisp, incisive and assured. That successive parts of the book are told in different tenses feels slightly gimmicky, but full marks to Roberts for not playing it safe. On the whole, devotees of literary sf will find much to love here, from the adroit exploration of themes to the unabashed of ingenuity of form.
Copyright © 2007 Peter Loftus
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PODZONE—Paul S. Jenkins's Regular Review of Podcasts
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You've got your computer, and your broadband internet. You might also have a portable mp3 player, possibly even an iPod. And now you want to listen to some podcasts. You could try a podcast directory like the one in the iTunes store, but a quick look will convince you that podcasting is a predominantly American phenomenon. Look closer, however, and you'll find other nationalities represented, and in SF the Brits have a significant presence.
Most SF podcasts are about films and TV. There are a few devoted wholly or partly to written SF, and even fewer that contain written (or read) SF. Escape Pod (escapepod.org) is the prime example of a podcast providing actual science fiction short stories, while its younger sister Pseudopod (pseudopod.org) does the same for horror short stories. Its forthcoming sibling PodCastle (podcastle.org) will provide fantasy.
In long-form SF there are SF novels available as podcasts, notably at Podiobooks (podiobooks.com). Though many of these are excellent, few have been through the traditional print-publishing process. Nevertheless there are several well-known names from SF publishing such as Paul Levinson, Cory Doctorow, James Patrick Kelly and Tracy Hickman.
British SF podcasting can be defined as falling under three categories:
1. Podcasts about SF in general, but produced wholly or partly in the UK, or by Brits, or from a British perspective. An example is StarShipSofa (starshipsofa.com)—two guys from the north of England talk at length about SF, concentrating on classic SF novels.
2. Podcasts about British science fiction, but not necessarily produced by Brits, such as British Invaders (britishinvaders.com)—a show about British SF TV, or Doctor Who: Podshock, both produced jointly from North America and Great Britain.
3. Podcasts about British SF, produced by Brits. An example of this is the WhoCast, another show about Doctor Who, but produced by a Brit.
These distinctions are arbitrary, and only useful to set limits.
Given the preponderance of film and TV in SF podcasting, it's no surprise that Doctor Who and Harry Potter constitute a large share of the British SF podosphere. On the Harry Potter front there's a wide choice: PotterCast (pottercast.the-leaky-cauldron.org) * MuggleCast (mugglenet.com) * Wizarding Wireless (wizardingpod.com) * Harry Potter Prognostications (hpprogs.com) * SpellCast (spell-cast.com) * The Secrets of Harry Potter (sqpn.com) * Scholastic Harry Potter Podcast (scholastic.com/harrypotter) * The Remembrall Live (theremembrall.mypodcast.com) * SpinnersCast (spinnerscast.com) * Harry Potter Fan Fiction (harrypotterfanfiction.com)
Doctor Who is likewise well covered: Podshock (gallifreyanembassy.org) * WhoCast (thewhocast.com) * Time Tales (doctorwhotimetales.blogspot.com) * Doctor Who Podcast (doctorwho.podomatic.com) * Podcast Who (podcastwho.com)
An example of a British podcast about non-British media SF is the latest offering from BBC7: Heroes The Official Radio Show (bbc.co.uk/drama/heroes/radio), though the first 15-minute episode didn't offer much of substance about the new US TV import currently showing on BBC2. It's yet another example of mainstream media getting into podcasting, even if in this case it's only a radio show released as a podcast after airing. This doesn't mean that the independents will be ousted, just that listeners will have more choice.
Some podcasters look to traditional media for their content. Old time radio (OTR) is a popular source of material for US podcasts, as the copyright on those old radio shows has expired. In the UK the legal situation is different, with copyright remaining in force until 70 years after the death of the last surviving scriptwriter. Nevertheless some old British radio shows, such as Charles Chilton's radio serial Journey Into Space, are made available on Dennis Humphrey's OTR British Science Fiction podcast (podango.com).
There's plenty to satisfy listeners who want a British perspective on SF, or specifically want British SF, but shows need to be sought out. The iTunes Store directory is comprehensive but its search facility is poor. For a list of other podcast directories, try Rob Walch's Directory of Directories at podcast411.com.
Copyright © 2007 Paul S. Jenkins
(revupreview.co.uk)
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Visit www.ttapress.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.
Interzone Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine #212 Page 19
