My third of four articles planned for October 2023 is now up! This entry explores The Forever War, Joe Haldeman's superb 1974 military science fiction novel. Haldeman is a Vietnam War veteran with a background in physics - these experiences strongly inform his classic book, which won the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards for Best Novel.

Often seen as a response to Heinlein's Starship Troopers (1959), Haldeman's novel is notable in its own right. It is a convincing, unsettling, and humane depiction of far-future, interstellar warfare between humans and a mysterious enemy. The plot makes use of time dilation to allow its protagonist to experience the deep future of the human species.

This piece is also the basis for the 100th (!) episode of my humble podcast. As a reminder, the next article and episode will be on Greg Bear's novel of biotech disaster and transcendence, Blood Music (1985). Hopefully, you can expect that next week.

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drawing is good time

Pinning my besties on my following feed is giving top 8 MySpace energy and I am feeling really nostalgic.

You awaken on a starship. How long has it been? You weren't programmed to keep track. All you know is that maintaining the ship's systems is your duty.

But the ship is derelict, entirely deactivated, devoid of intelligent life. You must navigate these dark corridors alone to bring the ship back online, and you must do it alone. But what will you find along the way? And when the starship sings to you, calling you home, will you answer?

karyogenesys is a short atmospheric walking sim with light puzzle elements, inspired by the look of retro 3D games and the developers' lived experience of learning self-love. It's profoundly queer and deeply rooted in plurality, just like the ones who made it.

itch.io page

Check out this incredibly cool project from @erysdren, one of our team members!