illing itself as a fandom lifestyles 'zine and offering no shortage of attitude as it enters the Web equivalent of middle age, MarsDust celebrates its third birthday this July. Brash, articulate and wide-ranging in its interests, this site challenges readers to define and explore what it means to be a fan in the 21st century.
But what, precisely, is a fandom lifestyles 'zine? A look to the MarsDust forums reveals the answer. Where other communities focus on the SF books, TV offerings and movies they adore, MarsDust's discussions tend to center around cultural and philosophical concerns: relationships in fandom, optimum "lair" design and ways for self-professed geeks to identify and pursue a dream career.
For visitors uninterested in mixing it up in the forums, Marsdust offers convention news, interviews and fan polls, as well as a newly launched op-ed blog irreverently named The Finger. Its feature articles make especially good reading: Recent entries cover the history and influence of Fangoria magazine and the work of filk artist Tom Smith. The site also aspires to a review section, though at present this area has almost no content.
The Detroit-based creators of Marsdust profess a dedication to the idea of forging new paths for SF fandom ... and in this site they have certainly created a comfortable gathering place for like-minded Web surfers. However, this community (like many other ambitious and intriguing SF Web sites) has yet to reach critical mass. If MarsDust can attract more repeat visitors and increase its pool of writers and frequent forum posters, it could shake up the online SF community. Whether the site can realize this potential, though, has yet to be seen.
—A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—June 27, 2005
ubbish or masterpiece? At SF Bookcase, fans rate SF and fantasy novels, post reviews, plug favorite authors and offer book recommendations to like-minded readers across the Internet.
This fan-run archive has amassed thousands of reader opinions on books and authors. A lively and well-established community, it covers everything: from classics like Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination to the latest Star Wars tie-in novel. Visitors can search for specific titles or authors, rate books on a scale from 1 to 10, and post spoiler-free comments on any novel listed at the site. (Moderators do screen comments sent by non-members before posting them—to avoid delays, just sign up.)
SF Bookcase maintains a list of 100 top authors, a ranking that shifts constantly as new recommendations come in—though J.R.R. Tolkien, in the lead, is a comfortable 700 votes ahead of the first runner-up, George R.R. Martin. There is a similar list of top-rated novels, of course, as well as links to author Web pages, fan clubs, SF-inspired video games and other relevant sites.
Literary snobbery has no place at this Web site: The SF Bookcase community leans to an informal posting style, and its membership enjoys all the speculative genres from hard science fiction to high fantasy. For readers who wish to speak their piece about a particular book, track the career or popularity of a favorite author, or just join a discussion on any new work of SF or fantasy, this page is a definite must-see.
—A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—June 20, 2005
ummer is here, and with it comes the high season for science-fiction conventions all across the globe. In six short weeks, SF fans, artists and writers from around the world will gather in Glasgow, Scotland, for Interaction, the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention. With Jane Yolen, Christopher Pickersgill, Lars-Olov Strandberg, Christopher Priest and Robert Sheckley slated to appear as guests of honor, this international event promises to be the best Worldcon yet.
Interaction's site is the place to pick up all the information a convention guest could want in order to make the Glasgow con, scheduled for August 4-8, a memorable and pleasant experience. The usual facts and figures on hotels, volunteer opportunities and programming are available here, along with FAQs, progress reports and a souvenir book. Eligible voters for the Hugo Awards can browse through the ballot and then cast votes electronically. The site's links connect visitors to Worldcons past and present, as well as a sprinkling of other SF resources. Finally, this page also offers tips on seeing Scotland in style.
This close to the convention, the Web site is being updated on an almost daily basis, but visitors can most easily catch up on news at Interaction's beautifully organized and fully searchable blog. The Worldcon also has its own LiveJournal community, which allows attendees and volunteers to communicate informally on any number of topics.
One piece of information is, as yet, missing from this convention's Web site: Guest of honor Robert Sheckley has been ill, and there is no word yet on whether he will be well enough to attend. That news will no doubt be posted on the site as soon as it is available; in the meantime, Interaction promises to be a superb Worldcon, and visiting its home page can only serve to heighten a fan's excitement about the upcoming event.
—A.M. Dellamonica
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