Journal Entries
Book Review: 'Phase Space' by Stephen Baxter
Posted Nov 29, 2003
Complementing his ‘Manifold’ series of novels – 'Time', 'Space' and 'Origin' – Stephen Baxter has put together 'Phase Space'; a collection of loosely-connected stories exploring the themes of human consciousness, our place in the Universe and our perception of reality. Tied together by excerpts from the Manifold-based story 'Touching Centauri', the collection is split into six sections, of which 'Paradox' is arguably the best. Apparently fascinated by the ‘Fermi Paradox’ concerning extra-terrestrial intelligence (summed up by the oft-quoted line “If they existed, they would be here”), Baxter speculates on possible solutions to the problem in this section, and the results are often absorbing.
Weakest of the six sections is, in my view, 'Worlds', in which stories become bogged down in repetitive detail concerning the space programmes of this and other worlds. Tales in 'Worlds' and 'Open Loops' often reach conclusions which are too obscure for readers to reasonably be expected to untangle, and suffer for this. That having been said, one of the most mind-bending stories – 'Dante Dreams' – is also one of the best for its originality and profound ideas.
'Phase Space' is by no means Baxter’s finest work, especially as the similarity of some stories and repetitiveness of ideas can take the edge off the writing, but it still provides entertaining, thought-provoking reading.
R25968 21:54 29/11/03
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Latest reply: Nov 29, 2003
Things That Really Suck, Number 1:
Posted Nov 3, 2003
Discovering that the girl you were just about to ask out has just been asked out by someone else.
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Latest reply: Nov 3, 2003
Stargate SG 1 - 'Fragile Balance': A Review
Posted Aug 9, 2003
'Fragile Balance' is an episode fans are destined to either love or hate. Stargate has never been above having a little fun at its own expense, and this episode takes that to a whole new level, and pulls it off with spectacular success, I think.
Originally conceived for season four of the show, 'Fragile Balance' failed to find a place in that season, or the two that followed it. Finally, re-written and touched up, it finds its way into seven - although you can't help but feel the significance of the title may have been lost somewhere along the way.
Playing as a straight-out comedy, this episode proves the best hour's humour since 'Window of Opportunity' in season four. A lot relies on the actor playing the 'young' O'Neill, but he succeeds wonderfully, arguably putting in a better performance than Richard Dean Anderson himself for this particular hour. Anderson's absence from recent episodes due to his reduced work-schedule has been noticeable, and any excuse to keep O'Neill out of the action of an episode is taken, often to the show's detriment. However, 'Fragile Balance' manages to be an exception to the rule, as it doesn't suffer at all.
A departure into silliness this may be, and no doubt some will loathe it for that, but to me this will probably stand as a favourite for some time to come.
R25968 00:11 10/8/03
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Latest reply: Aug 9, 2003
'Bruce Almighty' - A Review
Posted Jul 24, 2003
'The Truman Show' was not just a film, but a revelation - Jim Carrey had actually appeared in a movie that you could watch more than once without needing to be violently sick. Ah, heady days those were...
For 'Bruce Almighty' the phrase 'back to his old tricks' seems particularly appropriate. Whilst much tamer than early Carrey films, his most recent offering is little more than an uninspired plot overlaid with the usual wacky face-pulling that we've all come to know and be bored of.
Whilst raising some genuine laughs, this film is, unfortunately, nothing memorable. Neither particularly good nore particularly bad, but dwelling somewhere in the middle-ground of obscurity, I'll probably be looking back in ten years time and thinking: 'Did I see that movie? I don't remember anything about it...'
R25968 21:05 24/7/03
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Latest reply: Jul 24, 2003
Stargate SG 1 - 'Homecoming': A Review
Posted Jul 17, 2003
With all the tricky stuff (viz the re-introduction of Daniel Jackson) done in 'Fallen', 'Homecoming' is free to put in a good hour of action. Whilst a good episode, it's hard to find anything much to say about it. 'Homecoming' flows well, isn't dull, and puts in a generally good effort to prove that season 7 can be a great season.
Richard Dean Anderson, as Colonel O'Neill, seems to be back on form after his slightly disconcerting awkwardness in 'Fallen', and Michael Shanks, as Daniel Jackson, appears to have gained a new edge of cynicism, marking a change from the pre-sixth season Daniel. His ambiguous question to O'Neill at the end of this episode - 'We get paid for this, right?' - leaves a slight niggle in the mind; it's a valid question to be asked, but as the final line of the episode leaves a feeling of materialism that has never been present in the character beforehand.
Anubis manages another gloriously over-the-top performance, his First Prime is as smug and smackable as ever, the Kelownans get a little bit of what's coming to them, and the episode gets a general thumbs up - if only the sudden ruthless despatch of Jonas Quinn didn't leave a bitter taste to the proceedings.
R25968 12:17 17/7/03
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Latest reply: Jul 17, 2003
The Bad Kind of Puppy
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