his page is Harlan Ellison's home on the net, the unimpeachable source for information on one of SF's most passionate and influential writers. An exhaustive guide to all things Ellison, Webderland contains everything a fan might need or care to know. It is all here--recent news, listings of coming appearances, photographs, a searchable bibliography and much more.
For surfers who have somehow missed out on Ellison's writing before now, Webderland offers tantalizing samples of his work. His story, "Paladin of the Lost Hour," is available in its entirety--both in text form and as a live reading. Non-fiction picks include older works, from the collection Stalking the Nightmare and an outstanding book of columns called An Edge in My Voice.. More recent essays discuss Ellison's 1996 quadruple bypass surgery and the role of science fiction in the Rancho Santa Fe mass suicide. Readers who find these samples are only sufficient as appetizers will be pleased to see that the Web page also provides information about the Harlan Ellison Recording Collection, a mail-order company which offers Ellison's books and recordings for sale.
For those who are already solid fans, Ellison Webderland contains a richness of personal information about the author. Nothing can compare to reading one of Ellison's autobiographical essays, but the presented accounts of some events--the formation of the groups Friends of Ellison and Enemies of Ellison, particularly--are highly entertaining. Get an express ticket right away to visit this site, the gateway into one of SF's most original universes. Ellison Webderland is well worth the trip.
-- A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week -- February 20, 2001
ometimes narrower is better. Searching for Star Wars on Google yields more than a million results, a quantity through which even the most diehard Lucas fan would be hard pressed to surf. Over on the Star Wars-specific search engine Bantha Tracks though, fans will find a far more focused database of just over 4,000 links. The number of links may not be as impressive as the big search engines, but their quality more than makes up for any numerical shortfalls.
The sites in the database are ranked and rated by Bantha Tracks' editors and visitors. Even better, each of the links includes icons to let folks know the site's 0-to-5 star rating, as well as whether or not it has any video, sound, graphics or links resources on its pages. Those are options that visitors won't find on most of the mega-search engines and it makes browsing for the good Star Wars sites a heck of a lot easier.
Like many of its kin, Bantha Tracks lets visitors browse its listings by category, but it also includes a "top-rated" page which lists the best sites by rating and number of votes. There's also a "hot sites" section that ranks sites by their traffic (how that traffic is measured isn't mentioned) and a "random site" link for those who are feeling a little lucky.
-- Kenneth Newquist
Site of the Week -- Feb. 12, 2001
t's never too early to start thinking about the upcoming convention season. With the Hugo nominations deadline about six weeks away, the World Science Fiction Convention, or Worldcon, is looming large in the minds of SF fans and professionals alike. As a result, those interested in traveling to Philadelphia this fall for the con would be well-advised to have a look at the official site. There they can learn everything that will be awaiting them upon arrival.
The Millennium Philcon is a well-organized guide, replete with information about convention guests, venues, hotels, dates and programming. Simply designed and highly informative, the page provides all of the data that attendees will require to maximize their Worldcon enjoyment. Site visitors can do it all--look at photographs of the convention center, scope out the neighborhood the con is taking place in, read up on previously published progress reports and budget their hotel room costs--quickly, easily and efficiently.
At this stage of planning, the shape of the convention is still open for plenty of fan input. Attendees who want to see a particular panel topic covered are provided with a handy suggestion form. There are many volunteer opportunities available, including a chance to join a "brain trust" mailing list to generate new ideas for events and panels. The Web site does not yet say what kind of online programming will be available to fans unable to travel to Pennsylvania this Aug. 30-Sept. 1. One assumes, however, that this information will be available as soon as possible.
This site is frequently updated as various aspects of programming and planning get firmed up, so it is worthwhile to visit often.
-- A.M. Dellamonica
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