Monday, August 30, 2010

Starship Sofa and God in a box

'Putting God in a box' seems to be one of those weird Christianese expressions we all know and tolerate, but what if you actually could put God in a box, and carry Him around with you to dispense useful advice throughout the day?

That is the premise of Personal Jesus by Paul Di Filippo, which you can catch on the latest Starship Sofa podcast. In the story, the discovery of some form of quantum handwavium makes possible the invention of the godPod, a portable device which allows the deity of your choice to speak directly to you through the trendy earbuds of your choice.

Allowing for some suspension of disbelief (for instance of the dubious notion of all the world's faith groups, not to mention the atheists, accepting the godPod), it raises some interesting points. The post-godPod world is Utopian; everyone follows the godPod's advice, and everyone lives harmoniously. In theory, Christians are already that connected to God, albeit many of us take our earbuds out for a lot of the time. Which no-one ever does in this story. There is a brief mention of the conflict between predestination (which always reminds me of third year Geography) and free will (which doesn't), but as in real life the subject is best glossed over before it makes your brain hurt.

Of course, a story like this gets the writer in me thinking: what if this were a more Christian story? What kind of responses would a godPod receive from across the spectrum of Christianity? What if more people started to ignore it? What if God suddenly did decide to use our gadgets to communicate with us? What place is left for faith without those rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty? And so on...

It's one of those stories that reminds you that fiction - even weird futuristic science fiction - does have the capacity to tell us something about faith and God, or just to make us think about those things. So if you have a spare half hour, dip into Starship Sofa and have a listen to the story, see what you think. If you have a spare couple of hours, why not listen to the whole episode!

Friday, August 27, 2010

Friday Review: The Enclave by Karen Hancock

Before I start my way through the slight backlog of reviews here, I will let you know that voting for the Clive Staples Award for Christian Speculative Fiction is open for a couple more days. If you’ve read at least two of the nominations, hop over and use your vote...

I will, of course, be supporting those in the science fiction corner, starting with this, Karen Hancock's second sci-fi tale.

The story opens with Lacey McHenry, latest recruit at the Kendall-Jakes Longevity Institute, butting heads with the Institute's rising star, Cameron Reinhardt. After Lacey is attacked late one night, the two of them form an uneasy alliance, and go on to uncover the shady side of the Institute's work.

This story is interwoven with a second, entirely seperate story, set in New Eden, the Enclave of the title, where a few lucky survivors shelter underground from the poisoned world above. As the novel progresses, puzzling links between the two threads become apparent.

There is a lot to like about this novel. Reinhardt is a possibly odd combination of soldier and genetic scientist, but as a Christian character he is nicely flawed. Lacey too is a lapsed Christian, and both of them have a believable and not overdone faith experience during the course of their adventures.

And the theme of genetic manipulation allows the Christian characters to think about that most useful Biblical word (to spec-fic writers anyway): Nephilim. The mysterious nature of these creatures makes them an easy subject for Christian sci-fi, but here they are nicely understated.

So this is my pick for the Clive Staples; a well-told science fiction adventure with believably flawed Christians. What more can a person ask for?

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

CSFF Blog Tour: Countless as the Stars

Ok, that's enough beating about the bush! I hear you cry. Tell us about the book already!

Well some of you will already have ventured over to stevetrower.co.uk, and despite the persistent 'UNDER CONSTRUCTION' notices (the website building fairies are very busy this time of year, apparently) found out a little about Countless as the Stars. But for those not brave enough to do so, or just ambling on to this blog for the first time today, here's a little intro, and a bit more detail for those who visited the site and were curious.

First of all, Old Testament Space Opera. Basically, it's the Old Testament, re-told in a Space Opera-style setting (that's kind of Star Wars-esque, for the uninitiated). For a more detailed explanation of the idea click here.

Countless as the Stars is the first Old Testament Space Opera, and starts on Tellus, a world blighted by war and pollution, barely able to support it's dwindling population. Into this world the Eight Nations Space Agency introduces Litah, proclaiming it mankind's last hope for survival, promising a better life among the stars.

Our hero, Aidan Qqayle, a prominent follower of the Creed, has sworn to oppose this project, which puts technology in the place of God. But when Aidan receives his true calling, he is forced to re-evaluate his beliefs...

The story follows his adventure from Tellus into the unknown, where he is confronted with his own past, and the future of mankind. Epic space battles, the exploration of new worlds, personal trials, it's all here....

The Biblical tales are followed quite closely - the Tower of Babel, the accounts of Lot and Abraham, and shades of Moses - with embellishments to suit the sci-fi genre. It is my hope that by following the source material the story can shed some light on the nature of God, or at least some aspects of it, and that the embellishments will serve to keep the interest of those familiar with the overall story arc.

Slight warning: the story does contain sex, drugs and violence, but only in the context in which they appear in the Old Testament. Apparently their was enough to upset the old dear who runs our local Christian book shop, but not enough to create a publicity boosting backlash. *sigh*

Is that enough to whet your appetite? Well don't worry if it isn't, you can still go off and read the first chapter. Done that? Well here's the important part then: CSFF Blog Tour participants and visitors can get a copy for cheap! By which I mean £4.99 in the UK or £7.49 overseas (I think that's about US$11, including postage. Bargain eh?).


Of course, if you want to support this struggling author, feel free to order at full price, buy multiple copies, give one to your publisher or agent.... and of course tell the rest of the tour how good it is!

Oh yes, and having a copy of the book will also allow you to read the first draft of the sequel, which was written as my 2008 NaNoWriMo project (those of you that have attempted NaNo will know what to expect!).

I'll keep the offer open until the next CSFF Blog Tour.

Once you've taken advantage of my extraordinary generosity, all that remains is to send you on your way...
Brandon Barr
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Jeff Chapman
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
George Duncan
April Erwin
Andrea Graham
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Becky Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Mike Lynch
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Jason Waguespac
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Tuesday Tunes: Countless as the Stars

I wasn't quite sure which way to go with the musical contribution to this month's CSFF blog tour; I could have attempted a Top Ten Countless songs, or songs about stars... I thought about doing a Top Ten of Top Tens... but since I've started down this road of blogging about Countless as the Stars, I figured the logical (and easiest) thing to do would be to re-post the soundtrack to the book.

I won't give away any blatant spoilers, but will use this to give you a few small clues about what sort of things to expect in the story.

1. Blondie - Union City Blue.
In my mind, the movie's opening credits roll over Aidan's C-Car journey through Unioncity in the opening chapter. Union City Blue is perfect here in every way. Available on Blondie - Greatest Hits.

2. Brian Eno - Under Stars.
Brian Eno's Apollo was composed as a soundtrack for the films of the Apollo moon landings, inspired by the feelings and sensations of space travel. This CD was the constantly playing during the writing of the spacebourne segements of Countless, the first of which is in Chapter 2.

3. Brian Eno - Music for Airports.
The background music for Chapter 3, which is set in a Spaceport. Pick any or all four tracks from Eno's first ambient offering.

4. Petra - No Doubt.
I wanted to have some Christian music on the soundtrack, and while Petra may be a bit old skool, I think this is a great song, especially for when Ade and Savana get some bad news. Available on No Doubt.

5. Petra - I Love You Lord.
A worship song that doesn't specifically mention Jesus for the Temple scene in Chapter 7. Nice interpretation too, all tribal drums and harmonies. Available on Petra Praise 2 - We Need Jesus.

6. Marston Smith - Stairway to Heaven.
I knew from early on that Stairway to Heaven would be like Litah's anthem. Playing at the launch party will be the definitive version by Marston Smith. Available on Forever Cello.

7. Thus Spake Zarathustra.
Perfect dramatic piece for the public unveiling of Tellus from space. OK, so I nicked the idea from Stanley Kubrick. Available on most sci-fi theme CDs.

8. Porcupine Tree - It Will Rain For A Million Years.
This is nice and moody, for Galford in Chapter 9. This is from one of the few non-instrumental CDs I like to play while writing, 'On the Sunday of Life...'

9. Enigma - The Gate.
Something else I can listen to while writing is Enigma's mix of ambient soundscapes, dance beats and wierd lyrics. The Gate seems an appropriate soundtrack for the discovery of a new planet. Available on The Screen Behind the Mirror.

10. Jean Michel Jarre - Last Rendez-Vous (Ron's Piece).
A poignant piece to be played at the first funeral on an alien planet. Available on Rendez-Vous.

11. Balanescu Quartet - Robots.
I just love the combination of the 'futuristic' Kraftwerk tune played by a string quartet! It's playing in the dress shop in Chapter 14. Available on Possessed.

12. Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene Part 1.
By Chapter 16 we are back in space travel mode. Although Apollo remains the main musical influence for these scenes, I didn't want Jarre to go overlooked. Available on Oxygene.

13. Brian Eno - Come With Us.
This slightly wierd and sinister track from My Life in the Bush of Ghosts accompanies Dan Straker's return to the Black City in Chapter 19.

14. Los Chicharrons - Chicharron N Boogaloo (Groove Armada Mix).
For the action sequences in Chapter 21. I don't think this mix is widely available; the original is on Conga Heaven Bongo Hell, but probably won't have the same effect.

15. REM - Everybody Hurts.
Arguably REMs finest moment, here for Blaise in Chapters 23 & 24. Available on Automatic for the People.

16. Lard - Forkboy.
Film buffs may recognise this as the riot theme from Natural Born Killers. It serves much the same purpose here. Available on The Last Temptation of Reid.

17. Groove Armada - At the River.
Sublime chillout track by one of the UK's most popular dance acts. For when Aidan is at the, erm, river. Available on The Best of Groove Armada.

18. Brian Eno - Matta.
This track has the kind of eerie feel and wierd noises required for a forest world. Also from Apollo.

19. Porcupine Tree - Voyage 34.
A musical interpretation of an LSD trip was all I had to go on for Chapter 27. It wasn't something I wanted to research that thoroughly. Brilliantly now available on CD - I have the two seperate versions on 12 inch vinyl. As an alternative, Queen Quotes Crowley from 'On the Sunday of Life...' is suitably psychadelic.

20. The Kinks - Days.
Classic tune for, well, Chapter 30. (Don't want to spoil anything this close to the end!) Find a copy on most Kinks compilations, or the 3-disc edition of The Village Green Preservation Society. Oh, and on no account must you substitute a cover version.

21. Steve - Smile.
Finishing with another Christian band who were cool at the time... a mellow, upbeat song for the final scene. Available on Falling Down.

There's a slightly abbreviated Spotify version here for those able to use it (not all the tracks listed are available on Spotify).

This post is part of the Christian Science Fiction and Fantasy Blog Tour free-for-all month, which continues here:
Brandon Barr Thomas Clayton Booher Keanan Brand Grace Bridges Beckie Burnham Morgan L. Busse Jeff Chapman CSFF Blog Tour Stacey Dale D. G. D. Davidson Jeff Draper George Duncan April Erwin Andrea Graham Tori Greene Ryan Heart Timothy Hicks Becky Jesse Jason Joyner Julie Carol Keen Krystine Kercher Mike Lynch Rebecca LuElla Miller New Authors Fellowship John W. Otte Donita K. Paul Sarah Sawyer Chawna Schroeder James Somers Speculative Faith Rachel Starr Thomson Jason Waguespac Fred Warren Dona Watson Phyllis Wheeler KM Wilsher

Monday, August 23, 2010

CSFF Blog Tour: Countless as the Stars

It was inevitable really, and the tour has finally made it's way round to the next big thing in Christian sci-fi waiting eagerly to leave these shores: Countless as the Stars, by some English bloke you've never heard of.

I'm kidding, of course; that was completely evitable, and what has actually happened is that for August the tourists have been let off the leash to do their own thing. It's like that day in Junior school when the teacher announced that you could pick your own topic to study for the next term. I did aeroplanes, because I hadn't heard of Christian Sci-fi when I was ten. It was quite good as I recall, helped along no doubt by a teacher who knew less about the subject than me and was unable to correct any factual inaccuracies.

On the wild assumption that nobody is here to read a brief history of civil aviation in the British Isles, I've decided to take the opportunity for a little uncharacteristic self-promotion. This is somewhat new territory for me, so please be kind and visit www.stevetrower.co.uk and find out all about Old Testament Space Opera and what it means for you.

I'll be back over the next couple of days with more blatant self-promotion, and as there is nobody that knows more about Old Testament Space Opera than me, there will be no factual inaccuracies to pick up on.

In the meantime, pick a few links at random from the list below, for what will truly be a magical mystery tour...

Brandon Barr
Thomas Clayton Booher
Keanan Brand
Grace Bridges
Beckie Burnham
Morgan L. Busse
Jeff Chapman
CSFF Blog Tour
Stacey Dale
D. G. D. Davidson
Jeff Draper
George Duncan
April Erwin
Andrea Graham
Tori Greene
Ryan Heart
Timothy Hicks
Becky Jesse
Jason Joyner
Julie
Carol Keen
Krystine Kercher
Mike Lynch
Rebecca LuElla Miller
New Authors Fellowship
John W. Otte
Donita K. Paul
Chawna Schroeder
James Somers
Speculative Faith
Rachel Starr Thomson
Steve Trower
Jason Waguespac
Fred Warren
Dona Watson
Phyllis Wheeler
KM Wilsher