The Journey(s) of Ian

Robert E. Howard, in his short, flawed, but prolific life, brought into existence a variety of manly and heroic characters, the most famous being Conan—the Cimmerian warrior and king—who was immortalised (if that is the correct word) on the silver screen by Arnold Swazenneger. However, it is not about the famous Conan I shall write about today, rather I shall turn my pen (or at least keyboard) to discuss one of Howard’s lesser known creations, that of Solomon Kane, an Englishman, who travelled the world armed with rapier, flintlock, and dagger, but most of all—his unswerving Puritan faith. In a connected series of short stories Howard describes Kane to us. Kane’s demeanour is stoic, his resolution total, and he is devoted to fighting evil, in all its forms. From zombies, to troubled ghosts, in England and Europe, deep in the dark jungles of Africa, and in the frozen north of Europe, he battles bad people, monsters and things, supernatural and otherwise, in his eternal quest to subdue ...

“The Windup Girl” by Paolo Bacigalupi: A Review. (This novel is a finalist for the Hugo Award 2010) “The Windup Girl” is a science fiction novel set in an unspecified future Thailand and Bangkok, perhaps in the late 21st century, when environmental problems have devastated the world, and countries and people fight a bare holding action for survival against virulent and constantly mutating diseases. The eponymous title comes from the derogatory nickname given to artificial persons of this era, who, in conservative Thailand, are regarded as soulless abominations. To give some of the story away, this particular windup girl kills the regent of Thailand, partly in self defence, precipitating a civil conflict in Bangkok, which results in the flooding of the city. In short, I was not impressed with this novel. I am someone who enjoys a good technical exposition. I like to know what is happening, and why. Perhaps not to the level of Poul Anderson, who devoted pages to describing the biochem...

It is Sunday the 11th of April as I write this. Yesterday, in the city of Bangkok, approximately 18 people were killed and hundreds injured in street fighting (the numbers vary). The details as to who did what, when and why, are far from fixed, but it is clear that a new stage has been reached between the conservative, Bangkok supported government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, and the Red Shirts of provincial Thailand. Yesterday the two sides pushed each other back and forth in the city of Bangkok, and the conflict escalated to a new level. Bullets flew and people fell. The main tourist entertainment areas of Sukhumvit (the wealthier centre of the city)—filled with tourist hotels, malls, and restaurants—were closed for business. Here, the skytrain stations were closed, and the streets filled with soldiers and protestors. Before the 11th I was willing to tell potential visitors that it was still ok to visit Krung Thep—The City of Divine Beings (Bangkok, City of Angels), but now...