Book List: Alternate Histories

What this episode covers

Book List: Alternate Histories Alex Fitch looks at the science-fiction sub genre of Alternate History, talking to three novelists about their works that imagines the past and near future if historical events had taken a different path. Charles Stross discusses his parallel worlds series “Merchant Princes” which depicts travel between various 21st Centuries where Europe is still feudal or has only just seen the industrial revolution plus his collaboration with Cory Doctorow “Rapture of the nerds”; Max Brooks talks about “World War Z” which depicts the present day Earth after twenty years of a war with zombies; and Ken MacLeod discusses his novella “The Human Front” and novel “Intrusion” which look at the kinds of police states that might exist in this county if various political movements had access to more advanced technology. Originally broadcast Tuesday 3rd September 2013, Resonance 104.4 FM (London) Covers of World War Z and Recorded Attacks by Max Brooks, Intrusion and The Human Front by Ken MacLeod, The Bloodline Feud by Charles Stoss, Rapture of the nerds by Stross and Doctorow For more info about this podcast and a variety of other formats you can download / stream, please visit the home of this episode at www.archive.org Links: Charles Stross’ website Max Brooks’ website Ken MacLeod’s blog Listen to Alex’s interview with Ken MacLeod and Edward Ross about their stem cell comic book Recommended Events: Quick Strips at Brighton Digital Festival Twelve cartoonists reveal all in under six minutes each Quick Strips, part of Brighton Digital Festival, is a speedy showcase for 12 cartoonists and graphic novelists to reveal all in public by presenting their work or giving away their trade secrets in under 6 minutes each. Alex Fitch of Resonance FM is compere for the night, and the stellar cast features First Graphic Novel Competition winner Gareth Brookes, author of The Black Project, to be published on 12 September, and fellow Myriad graphics authors Nye Wright (Things to Do in a Retirement Home Trailer Park), Hannah Eaton (Naming Monsters), and, down from Leeds to investigate the Balcombe fracking protests, Darryl Cunningham, author of Science Tales. Other guests are graphic novelists and cartoonists Hannah Berry, Joe Decie, Chie Kutsuwada, Ottilie Hainsworth, Julia Homersham, Jaime Huxtable and Ben Naylor. Held in association with Cartoon County. Location: The Latest Bar, Manchester Street, Brighton BN2 1TF Thursday 5th September, 2013 Doors open 18.30; show starts 19.00; ends 21.00 FREE More info at: http://www.myriadeditions.com/events How to Write a Graphic Novel: A Guardian Masterclass The latest Guardian Masterclass at their new venue near Kings Cross, London is an all day event looking at the process of creating graphic novels. Speakers include: Andrzej Klimowski, Professor of Illustration at the Royal College of Art, London. His acclaimed career has seen him designing film and theatre posters, as well as directing short, animated films in Warsaw plus designing covers for Penguin, Faber & Faber, Everyman Library and Oberon Books. His graphic novels include The Depository The Secret and Horace Dorlan. He has adapted The Master and Margarita and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for SelfMadeHero. Paul Gravett, Britain’s best-known comic book critic and historian and author of many books, including 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die and Great British Comics. Audrey Niffenegger, creative writer and visual artist who has achieved enormous success in both worlds. Her debut novel, The Time Traveler’s Wife, has sold more than seven million copies worldwide and has been translated into forty languages. Niffenegger is also the author of two ‘novels-in-pictures’, The Three Incestuous Sisters (2005) and The Adventuress (2006), and a graphic novel, The Night Bookmobile. Her latest book is the illustrated fairytale, Raven Girl, published by Jonathan Cape. Pat Mills, a British co[...]