The 'Nine Worlds Geekfest!' Catch-Up Post!

Until this weekend, the closest I'd ever got to going to a sci-fi convention was the inaugural SFX Weekender. All we had to do was pack and go there but then Hope started throwing up repeatedly and we spent most of the time in A&E instead. Happy days...

This weekend though, I actually made it to my first ever convention and I will definitely be back for more if 'Nine Worlds' was anything to go by. I got to meet loads of old friends and sat in on some really interesting panels - what was not to like? Funnily enough, as it happened, I never made it to any of the book panels; the door always seemed to be closed and I didn't want to be the one who opened it in the middle of someone talking. It was cool though, the Steampunk door was wide open so I snuck in and listened to Jonathan Green, Stephen Hunt and Raven Dane talk about all things Steampunk literature. Robert Rankin was there as well but seemed more interested in steering the conversation towards the phallic shape that he had seen on the back of a chair... What's Steampunk after all, without a little phallic upholstery...? I think the Steampunk people missed a bit of a trick by the way, Charles Stross was in the building and I think they should have got him on that particular panel...

The panel about 'Doctor Who Villains' was really good to sit in on and it was cool to see the moderator steer the discussion away from 'Daleks vs Cybermen' and onto other monsters/villains that don't get the same kind of press. I was a little ashamed to admit that the Haemovores scared the life out of me (and still do) so have some admiration for those people who 'fessed up to their childhood fears.
I even found myself sitting in on a 'Torchwood' panel which is odd seeing as I've seen one full episode (the first) and small chunks of about three others. I ended up really getting into it though as the enthusiasm of the panel members (especially Kai Owen) was totally contagious. If 'Torchwood' is repeated on the TV then I might give it another go.

And then I went and spent far too much money on books...

As a kid, I used to practically live in second hand book shops/market stalls when we were on holiday; quality sic-fi and fantasy for under 50p. I would probably never have read any David Gemmell if I hadn't discovered 'Legend' on a wet weekend away. But anyway...

The second hand book stall was absolutely massive (easily the largest stall in the Dealer's Room) and I totally got lost in it for hours, browsing away. Do you want to see what I came home with? Of course you do...

I'm still hunting out 'SF Masterworks' and the only way I'm going to be able to do it is if I'm not too fussy about the editions. These two books are in really nice condition by the way, they all were actually. I haven't read enough Phillip K. Dick so this is my attempt to set that straight. I was looking for a copy of of 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep' and clearly didn't read the small print underneath 'Blade Runner'... What was I thinking? I don't know...

When I do find a 'SF Masterworks' edition though, it gets snapped up right away :o) 'Stand on Zanzibar' is a book that I've always meant to read so, when I saw it on the table, the book pretty much bought itself.

These two books were only a pound each and are the same edition as my copy of 'The King of Elfland's Daughter'; I thought they'd all look nice together on the shelf :o) It's not just that though. I've been reading more short stories and Lord Dunsany's have been recommended as ones to read if you like your fantasy well written. I enjoyed 'How Nuth Would Have Practiced His Art Upon The Gnoles' so am hoping for more of the same here.

I'm always on the lookout for more 'Conan' and thought it was a good time so branch out a little and get other author's takes on this iconic character. The 'Stan Lee Presents' was a bit of a find for me as it carries the 'Conan'Elric' team-up storyline, which I thought I'd never see again, and 'The Road of Kings' was a chance for me to read more Karl Edward Wagner. The cover for 'Conan The Buccaneer' really stood out to me as a child (on holiday close on thirty years ago...) and now I get to see what the story itself was like. 'The Gods of Bal-Sagoth' is the only book in the picture that was actually written by Robert E. Howard and a good chance to sample his stories outside 'Conan'.

Quite the little haul then :o) All of it will be reviewed here but I'm not setting any deadlines; I want to savour these books... I try not to link to online stores here but the seller has loads more books like these; have a look Here if you're interested.