The Letters to the Editor department is intended to be a forum for our readers to express their own opinions and ideas. While we appreciate the many complimentary letters we receive each day, you won't find them on this page. Instead, you will find letters that go beyond or even contradict what we have written, letters that offer a different perspective and provide a different view of science fiction.
— Scott Edelman, Editor-in-Chief
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n regards to the reader's problems with Knights of the Old Republic ("Knights Leaves Players in a Daze"), it admittedly has had bugs. It's a running joke with anybody who plays it, on several message boards, about how bad some of the bugs are, for me personally *spoiler* when being a Dark Jedi I can't get the Wookie to kill Mission and it crashes to the start up screen. *end spoiler* However, this game is nothing but engaging. I played it through the first time being a Light Jedi and I just had to play it again as a Dark Jedi to see what I was missing.
The voiceovers are great. The alien voices do repeat, but still those are entertaining to listen to. The [letter writer] had a bad disc and needs to return it as I did not have that bug at the end of the game—in fact, besides the one I mentioned, I had no other bugs to the game. It's getting endemic lately for gamemakers to release games before they are ready. Soul Reaver 2 had a huge bug in it and a lot of the newer games I have had small bugs in it, not like the old games on the NES/SNES/PlayStation that rarely had bugs.
His characterization of the game is rather biased from the point that he's upset about bugs. The game is a joy to play, having lightsaber battles with Dark Jedi is poetry in motion.
Nicholas Dodorico
nowyn@brightfire.net
lose Encounters of the Third Kind, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars, E.T. The Extra-terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, A Clockwork Orange and Frankenstein (with Boris Karloff) are among the 100 best movies of history as have been voted by AFI. Being a science-fiction movie in this category is a specific honor. My own vote for arguably the most influential science fiction epic in cinematic lore is 2001: A Space Odyssey.
This film was to science fiction what Pulp Fiction was to comedy. And HAL (voiced by Canadian actor Douglas Rain) is one of the most controversial villains in science fiction in its own right. Unlike popular science-fiction villains such as Darth Vader, The Master (Doctor Who), Q (Star Trek), Dr. Smith (Lost In Space) and Diana (V), HAL is reputable as probably the most humanistic villain. As sympathetic as it was frightening, HAL had
the unique advantage of being the only character questionably with full potential of character dimension in this great epic. Even when HAL was revived and redeemed in the Odyssey sequel, 2010, fans are still haunted by the thinking machine that almost rose from a servant of humanity to a destroyer of it.
Two other novelized sequels, 2061: Odyssey Three and 3001: The Final Odyssey, may have been unsuccessful in the preservation of the franchise. But 2001: A Space Odyssey, shown recently on Space: The Imagination Station along with The Shining and A Clockwork Orange, is a classic tribute to Stanley Kubrick's talent as a director of science fiction. So why was 2001 in the real world not parallel to the 2001 in Arthur C. Clarke's original vision? As HAL once pointed out ...
"It can only be attributable to human error."
Michael Anthony Basil
mike.basil@sympatico.ca
n regards to Mr. Basil's letter: "Doctor Who Fans Seek a Solution". The
reason why the "spinoffs" were not included in the poll is that not all of them are considered canon. Of the videos that Mr. Basil mentions that he has seen, two are spinoffs which the only link to Doctor Who is that they either contain former companions or old enemies. The third, "The Airzone Solution," has absolutely nothing to do with Doctor Who, just because it includes the actors who have played Doctor Who, it does not mean that it is automatically part of the Doctor Who canon.
But the one thing I can't understand is what point Mr. Basil was trying to make. The BBC is releasing a great deal of stuff this year for the 40th anniversary year in DVD's, CD's and books. Big Finish are releasing 40th Anniversary CD's, the BBC is still producing audios and videos and, here in Australia, they will, in around a week, start screening Doctor Who from the very first episode! I believe that it is actually better to be a Doctor Who fan now, than ever before. With 26 seasons (some only in audio format), three feature films and umpteen spinoffs and fan-based productions, we are simply spoiled for choice.
Simmie [last name withheld]
mr_simmie@yahoo.com.au
athan Brazil wrote an interesting treatment for a "reimagined" Battlestar Galactica ("A Better Battlestar Awaits"). It's an interesting idea, but there is one catch.
It is so "reimagined" that there is no connection to the original but the name. It doesn't contain any of the same characters or situations as the original.
What would be the point of calling it Battlestar Galactica? Call it something else and submit it as a brand new idea (which it is).
Battlestar Galactica may look hokey by today's standards of special effects. The scripts may be corny and the acting occasionally uninspired. But I look back on it with the pink hue of rose-colored glasses because it is a piece of my childhood. Back when I was in 6th grade I watched it, and it unlocked a whole new universe of dreams for me. It was full of dashing and handsome Warriors for the cause of good fighting an inhuman evil that wanted only to destroy. It had Damsels in Distress and Wise Old Sages and the Handsome Rogue with the Heart Of Gold. It was a fairy tale with spaceships and robots and I loved it.
I look at this "reimagined" Battlestar Galactica with dread. I don't want to see a Galactica with a modern sensibilities and attitudes. I don't want an angsty female Starbuck with personal problems. I want my Knights in leather armor and Egyptian flight helmets who will swoop in on their electronic steeds and save the day.
In short, it won't be emotionally satisfying to me. It may be good. It may be better than the original. But it won't be my Galactica.
My feeling is that if they wanted to change it so drastically, they should have started from scratch with a new project and left Galactica alone.
I understand the financial reasons that might fuel a remake. That remaking a show with 30 years of name recognition behind it might cause more buzz than some new project that nobody ever heard of. But to be honest, I don't like it.
I'll probably watch it when it comes on out of morbid curiosity, but I don't expect it to be a fun experience. The magic will be gone.
Kara L. Stern
[address withheld by request]
'm enjoying reading the interviews on the site, but my objection is the same one I find myself making many times about SF work—where are the women? I've seen one interview with Connie Willis, and that's it. There are plenty of women available for interviews and everything else (not like the bad old days), so stop being so "boy's club"—it sets a bad example for the young 'uns.
Sincerely,
Donna Bursey
dbursey@bentley.edu
Editor Scott Edelman responds:
I'm in total agreement with you that the contributions made by women to the state of science fiction have been (and continue to be) important ones, which is exactly why I try to interview them whenever possible. (I'm sorry that these older interviews have been difficult for you to find on the site.)
Some of the writers, artists and editors with whom we've chatted include
Chelsea Quinn Yarbro,
Laurell K. Hamilton,
Julie Bell,
Margaret Weis,
Nancy Kress,
Storm Constantine,
Kristine Kathryn Rusch,
Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz,
Nalo Hopkinson,
Connie Willis (the aforementioned),
Jeanne Cavelos and
Ursula K. Le Guin
Feel free to recommend future candidates!
Best,
Scott
really love the series John Doe. When the season ended, I didn't know they were going to totally take it off the air. I had to wait all summer thinking that season two was going to start up, but after the schedule list for 2003/2004 [came out] the show was not even on there. I was devastated.
I was just wondering if season two of John Doe would be airing on another network or station I don't know about. If somebody could tell me what is going on with the show
I would very much appreciate it. Thanks.
Mae Saephanh
phanhgurl@yahoo.com
Assistant Editor Brian Murphy responds:
Alas, it appears that John Doe won't be coming back to any station or network at any time in the near future. In fact, a Fox executive has gone so far as to leak spoilers of John Doe's origins and the source of his near-omniscience. If you're interested in pulling back the curtain, here's the news article: "Fox Exec Reveals Doe Secret"
It appears that the one thing Doe didn't know was that Fox would pull the plug on such a fantastic Friday-night show.
Best,
Brian
Firefly movie might be just the thing ("Firefly Soaring To Theaters"). I always wondered why "cult" series didn't do films. A small audience for a TV series is a huge audience for a movie. If it gets good reviews, it might even attract new fans.
On the "Arnold" front—folks who quote Demolition Man ("President Arnold Could Happen Here") might remember the future it showed. A uber-healthy, strictly conservative and smotheringly wholesome world of no meat, carbs or smoking. The favored music—commercial jingles.
Nancy [last name withheld]
crowswork@yahoo.com
ditor, Barbara Goldstein wrote ("Bradbury Was on Fire with 451"):
And you can see roots in our current society to a future society like the one depicted in the book. Our freedoms have not been reduced as much as theirs—but we're on our way—see the ACLU commercial with the Constitution. Our "book burnings"—Harry Potter, Dixie Chick's CDs—which represent a desire for curtailment of free thinking and of truth—is on an upsurge: "If you're not for this war, you're un-American."
Please. More alarmist worrying. Today's society is far from the dreaded future depicted in Fahrenheit 451. As for your example above, please don't forget that these book/CD burnings are not state-sponsored but the actions of a few raving fanatics. Constitutionally, it is as much their right to burn the books as it is for the books to be written in the first place..
But...
You only need to look 60 years ago to see the 451 society realized. Nazi Germany sponsored book burnings. That's the difference. The U.S. and its allies defeated them and gave their society back its freedom. Now our government is under attack by the liberal PC police who are truly the ones who want to curtail free thinking. These are the same nuts who want teachers to teach revisionist history to our children and fill their minds with mush.
And before you bring it up, the Patriot Act will do little to curb your everyday freedoms. It hasn't changed my life one bit. Now, could we get back to talking science fiction here, please?
Best,
Dan Ware
djpw1@yahoo.com
ast night's premiere of Enterprise this season was surprisingly fun! It had drama, mystery (which seems to be a continuing factor, hopefully), and the special effects were noticeably better! With the exception of the five-minute Sports Illustrated swimsuit promotion with T'Pol and Tucker, this was probably one of the best episodes yet.
I look forward to the rest of this season! But, please don't force the obligatory partial nudity scenes ... the show does so much better without such distractions ...
D.C. Jeanes
djeanes@stinsonmoheck.com
don't know what I watched last night that was called Star Trek—Enterprise, but one thing it was not was Star Trek.
Starting with a new rock style background thrown into the theme song, a new bridge that looks like an ad for plasma TVs at Best Buy and moving onto T'Pol wearing less clothing than a Victoria's Secret model—this show was anything but Star Trek.
Gene's vision of Star Trek was a "Wagon Train to the stars" where the crew—who treated each other as valued friends—held life as precious, risked their lives to explore and meet new races and tried their best to bring moral principals to critical and difficult situations.
The "new improved" Enterprise crew seemed to be cursing and bullying their way through the stars. Archer and Tripp are in a constant state of anger; Hoshi has less to do than Uhura in the first season; T'Pol—how is it a full green blooded Vulcan is wearing pink blush and lipstick?; the military is shooting first and asking questions later; and science—instead of checking the exploded planet for answers, thinking about a plan—they just blindly go at warp four—where?
Scotty once said when the ship was trapped in a circling pattern, "At warp we are going nowhere fast." This new Enterprise is going no way fast—and if anything is sped up it's the departure of the longterm fans.
First, [producer Rick] Berman tries to explain away the continuity problems of the first two seasons by saying "First Contact changed everything"—a lie since nowhere before in this science-fiction universe did any time travel change anything! Time travel and repairing the past is part of the canon of Trek—continuity is crucial to why this series has attracted and held fans for more than 30 years! And even with his First Contact excuse—how does that explain a Vulcan with pink lips and cheeks?
The Star Trek the fans know and love is morality tales in a future setting. It is "Let This Be Your Last Battlefield," The Next Generation's "The Survivors," Deep Space Nine's issues of dealing fairly with the enemy despite the horrors of war; and it is Voyager's captain stranding her crew rather than see a race destroyed. Star Trek is IDIC—it is hope for the future. Enterprise is destroying that vision of hope.
I hate to say this, because as a fan I want to see the series continue forever, but if this is where Berman is taking us—creating a violent show with nearly naked woman, angry cursing crew members, aliens who look like creatures stolen from other sci-fi series, and plots written around the theme "what do we blow up this week"—just to attract a few young male viewers Berman says he needs to the ratings—then I vote to end it now and live with the DVDs and the memories of the wonderful world Gene created.
Gloria Hoffner
Gloriah311@aol.com
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