vailable in both Polish and English, Solaris is the hot source of
official data on SF writer Stanislaw Lem. Published by Lem's secretary and
son, the site provides--among other offerings--pictures, commentaries,
reviews, autobiographical essays by Lem himself and an extensive index of
Lem's books and stories. There is even an index that details which works
can be found in each of the 36 languages into which they have been
translated! Surfers can read excerpts from Lem's books and much of his
short fiction directly from this page.
The content of the site provides a layered view of a complex artist.
Especially delightful is the autobiographical section, "Lem about Himself,"
which is a fusion of an interview and a more conventionally styled article.
Short--often hilarious--paragraphs by Lem are alternated with third-person
statistics and dates of interest. The result is something that is packed
with facts while retaining a charming, anecdotal tone. In addition to
maintaining a strong focus on Lem's fiction, visitors to this site may also
look at many of his drawings--a witty gallery of black-and-white sketches
with SF themes.
Covering its subject matter thoroughly, Solaris is attractively laid out
and easy to navigate. Its simple but elegant design allows users to find
what they are looking for--whether it is a link to a book vendor, a look at
the various covers of a novel such as Memoirs of a Space Traveller
or the Lem FAQ--with just a couple of fast clicks. Though it is not
searchable in the generally accepted sense, the care taken to make the web
page straightforward and accessible is top-notch.
Solaris has the insider track on information about Stanislaw Lem,
combining personal details with images and essays that are not available
anywhere else. These elements make up a page that will inform and delight
anyone, whether it is a hard-core Lem fan or someone who is new to the work
of this fascinating and multitalented artist.
-- A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week -- Dec. 27, 2000
ade in Canada is a comprehensive site dealing with Canadian science
fiction, the place to stop for anyone looking for information on Canadian
authors, movies shot in Vancouver and Toronto, and lists of conventions
within easy distance of Canadian fans. An absolute treasure trove of data,
this page will either give surfers the needed information directly or link
them with a source that will.
This site is all about content. Its links and articles are beautifully
current, and no industry gossip slips past the web staff's attention. As
less of a priority, the graphic design of the page is extremely simple.
This has not kept the site from winning the web-based Canuck Site of the
Day Award, not to mention the Aurora Award for Fan Achievement. With the
sheer density of information available here--author photos, information on
books, links to reviews and book excerpts--a fan can learn virtually
anything about Canadian involvement in the science fiction field.
Amid all of this useful data, the monthly newsletter shines as a hub of
up-to-date facts and figures. Packed with links, a single issue contains
book announcements, an editorial (November's is on science fiction versus
"pseudo science"), a website spotlight, media news, convention coverage and
much more.
A visit to Made in Canada gives surfers a total view of Canadian SF,
reminding them in the process that there is an awful lot going on up
here!
-- A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week -- December 18, 2000
igh heroics and high adventure combined time and again in the 1950s with
early space operas such as Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. Five decades later,
the childhood fans of such series may be in their 60s, but their passion for
them has never faded.
The Solar Guard Academy represents the vanguard of these space cadets
who never grew up. The site's loosely organized sprawl covers every aspect
of two major 1950s series: Tom Corbett and Space Patrol.
Rather than focus on surface details like cast information and plot
summaries, the site delves in to the minutiae of the series. Fans will find
testimonials from folks who actually worked on the series, advice on
collecting memorabilia and even a documentary on the restoration of a
Space Patrol rocket model. Particularly nice are the links to
modern-day books and fan fiction that attempt to recapture the glory of the old
series. It's one thing to be in love with a Golden Age; it's another thing
entirely to try and recreate it.
-- Kenneth Newquist
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