MJ Paxton | Unusual Velocity

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7 Word Reviews: Hellboy (2019)

Should adaptations be visually faithful, or spiritually?

April 14, 2019
Looking at the 2019 Hugo finalists

Excited to see several of my nominees on there (although I continue my streak of having completely different taste in short stories from the rest of the nominating population). Also excited that many books on my TBR list are finalists, so I’ll make some list progress that way as well.

Special shoutout for Malka Older’s best series nomination, and Lindsay Ellis’s best related work nod.

April 2, 2019
Cui bono?

A recent page from Atomic Robo had some really good dialog on history (as Robo is teaching a new AI about the world), and I wanted to share it.

Choice quotes: “[History]’s constructing a story about the past to justify the shape of the present. Or someone’s vision of the future.”

“…Always ask yourself: who benefits from telling this version?”

http://www.atomic-robo.com/atomicrobo/v13ch1-page-09

April 1, 2019
7 Word Reviews: Us

Great to see with people who scream.

March 25, 2019
7 Word Reviews: High Flying Bird

Beautifully shot, great story. I wanted more!

March 21, 2019
Black Lightning

I’m still a few episodes behind, but this show is so great.

I have no desire to have children – I have an active desire to NOT have children of my own – but if I did have kids, Jefferson and Lynn are close to the kind of parent I’d want to be.

March 20, 2019
Kickstarter: Critical Core is a game for autistic children

I don’t always share Kickstarters I’m backing – often I’m just pre-ordering the product, or supporting a creator I like. I do want to share out Critical Core, tho. It’s a tabletop role playing game designed to help autistic children develop their social skills and creativity.

I signed up for the creators email newsletter last fall, after they appeared in an Acq Inc.: The C Team post-show to discuss Game To Grow, their non-profit organization. Given the way a certain blue puzzle-piece others actual autistic people and instead centers their friends and families, and I was glad to see that the game had been play tested with people on the spectrum and developed based on their feedback – and that they were included in the promotional video.

You don’t have to buy a copy of the game, but if you have a few dollars to spare I would be grateful if you supported this project.

March 19, 2019
7 Word Reviews: Captain Marvel

Star Trek with superpowers (read Acks’ review!)

March 17, 2019
Hugo Nominees 2019
Hugo nominations close this week, so I thought I’d share what I nominated this year. This is absolutely not a slate; nominate what you like. This is a list of things I liked from 2018, and I think you’d like if you checked them out.
- Novel
  - Revenant Gun, by Yoon Ha Lee
  - State Tectonics, by Malka Older
  - The Labyrinth Index, by Charles Stross
- Novella
  - Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, and Exit Strategy, all by Martha Wells
- Novelette
  - When We Were Starless, by Simone Heller
- Short Story
  - Life Considered as a Set of Common Online Security Questions, by Tobias S. Buckell
  - The Alien From Verapaz, by Tobias S. Buckell
  - A Bond as Deep as Starlit Seas, by Sarah Grey
  - What the South Wind Whispers, by H. Pueyo
  - Left to take the lead, by Marissa Lingen
- Graphic Story
  - Drive: Vol. 2, by Dave Kellett
- Dramatic Presentation – Long Form
  - The Expanse season 3
  - Black Panther
- Dramatic Presentation – Short Form
  - Abaddon’s Gate (The Expanse s03e13)
  - Triple Point (The Expanse s03e05)
  - Rosa (Doctor Who s11e04)
  - Janet(s) (The Good Place s03e09)
  - The Woman Who Fell To Earth (Doctor Who s11e01)
- Professional Artist
  - Dave Kellett
- Related Work
  - The Hobbit video essay trilogy, by Lindsay Ellis
- Series
  - The Centenal Cycle, by Malka Older
  - Merchant Princes, by Charles Stross
  - The Laundry Files, by Charles Stross
  - The Murderbot Diaries, by Martha Wells
  - Machineries of Empire, by Yoon Ha Lee
March 12, 2019
An analogy

Saying (or implying, as our president has done today) “how can the planet be warming if it’s cold in some places right now?” is like if you asked me “how can you be autistic if you’re making eye contact right now?”

January 30, 2019