Tie Wins Tähtivaeltaja Award

The Helsinki Science Fiction Society has awarded Cormac McCarthy’s novel Tie (Road, 2006) the Tähtivaeltaja award for the best science fiction book published in Finnish in 2008.

The jury appreciated the novel’s strong emotional experience that makes the reader fear for the characters, the fragility of the characters, and the desperate world view that has sense of wonder and haunts the reader after finishing the book, as well as the compact style and magnificent language. There are multiple levels and themes in the book: it is a story of hope—albeit a very weak hope—but can also be read as a metaphorical description of the Western culture and its inhumanity, as well as a symbol of life that wanders through ashes to pass the torch to the next generation.

The jury consisted of critic Hannu Blommila, editor Toni Jerrman, critic Elli Leppä, and journalist Vesa Sisättö.

Fandom on Radio

The YleX radio station talks about sf and fandom on Thursday June 18, at 11:20. The program will also be available in Yle Areena after that.

Suomenlinna Picnic

The annual fandom picnic to Suomenlinna will be held on Saturday July 4. Meeting at around noon near the restaurant Walhalla.

Finnish Sf Film Funding

This from the Iron Sky blog: The Finnish Film Foundation has decided to give 800 000 € worth of funding to Iron Sky. Yay! Other projects getting funding include a film adaptation of Risto Isomäki’s Sands of Sarasvati, and also something called Zombie Cruise, “a film about zombies on the Finnish–Swedish ferry”. (Obviously the makers have just watched the people on the morning after the cruise and got the idea from there.)

Pub Meeting Tomorrow

The barbecue mafia planned for this week has unfortunately been cancelled due to illness. My alternative suggestion is to go to the normal meeting place, Bar Bremer. Tomorrow at six, that is. Barbecuing will be tried again next month. More info on that later.

Update: after discussion on the TSFS mailing list, the restaurant Kultainen Hirvi was decided as the meeting place for tomorrow.

Sandman Lilius Cancels Finncon Appearance

Finncon 2009 reports that unfortunately Irmelin Sandman Lilius is unable to appear as a GoH due to family reasons. Sad news indeed.

Åcon Punch Out and Play

A while ago, a package arrived from Jeff. “Your mission—should you choose to accept it—is to take this Star Wars: Punch Out and Play! book and play around with it.” As I was about to leave for Åcon I decided to take the book along.

So, besides drinking beer and talking to friends about science fiction I spent parts of the convention walking around with a bunch of paper dolls cardboard action figures, looking even sillier than usual trying to arrange them in interesting positions while explaining to passers-by that Jeff made me do it.

On the last day of the convention I visited the museum ship Pommern that was conveniently docked nearby. The con Guest of Honor Steph Swainston was also there, and got to play too.

The Jedi seemed to take to the ship like naturals. I had a hard time convincing them that it was time to go because the con was over and it was time to go home.

Without further ado, I present to you the Star Wars: Punch Out and Play Åland Adventure, a photo journey of various Jedi, Sith, and other assorted folks in Åland.