Site of the Week -- August 21, 2000
t's been more than 30 years since the Robinson family became lost in space. Yet the folks at Promised Planet remain as addicted to the family's exploits as they were the day Jupiter-2 first went off-course.
The site is dedicated to the venerable--if campy--1960s series Lost in Space. It lavishes the show's three seasons with unwavering affection while acknowledging its occasional shortcomings.
Weekly polls give devotees a place to voice their opinions on minutia, such as "What was the most overused stock footage on Lost in Space?" Archived polls evaluate fans' opinions of the Lost in Space movie by New Line Cinema, the chances for a sequel and the potential for a made-for-TV movie. A fledgling episode guide chronicles the first five episodes of Lost in Space's freshman season with still shots and detailed reviews. More reviews are promised at two-to-three week intervals.
The best part of the site, however, is "Dr. Zachary Smith's Monikers for Robot." It's a hilarious compilation of every derisive bit of slang ever spewed at Robot by the good doctor, including classics like "aluminum canary" and "hulking mass of mechanical ignorance."
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- August 14, 2000
he recently redesigned Speculative Vision has much to offer fans of science fiction and fantasy.
Its premier strength is as a showcase of science fiction and fantasy art. Everything from traditional spacescapes and dragons to the occasionally bizarre can be found, in both traditional and digital media, and all of generally high quality. Each gallery features a handful of artists, with thumbnails of each work that link to a larger version.
In addition, Speculative Vision provides dozens, perhaps hundreds, of TV and movie theme MIDI files, from Alf to The Phantom Menace. It also has a monitored interactive story section, where anyone can contribute a chapter to an endless fantasy tale, with a science fiction story on the way. There are discussion forums, Java arcade games and a well-organized news section, along with an awards page featuring numerous links of science-fictional interest.
Speculative Vision promises more cool stuff to come, including book and movie reviews and original fiction. Even without those sections, the site makes a good jumping-off point for genre fans.
-- Blaise Selby
Site of the Week -- August 7, 2000
he mIcha' qagh is wonderful, dear. Could you pass the blood wine? It's a phrase not heard among most tera'nganpu, but that's what one would expect from gutless fools who advise their children "not to play with their food." They should be telling them to fight with it!
Those who seek to eat honorably should see K'Tesh's Klingon Recipe Pages. K'Tesh has assembled dozens of Klingon recipes (and many from lesser races) from the annals of Star Trek history. His goal is to match the look of the dishes; edibility is a secondary concern. The site does include many edible recipes, including Pipius Claw (chicken feet), Broiled Karada Legs (octopus) and the always-popular Gagh (various fried noodles or, in one recipe, gummy worms in chocolate sauce).
It would have been nice if the site included more pictures of the finished product as seen on television and as put together in the home kitchen. Regardless of the reader's culinary intentions, however, it's a treat.
-- Kenneth Newquist
