Walter Jon Williams's Blog, page 211

Coup

My 1985 novel Knight Moves, translated into French as Le Coup du Cavalier, is now available for your reading plaisir.It's also gathered an extremely flattering review, which (insofar as I can understand it at all) seems to suggest that the novel possessed the literary qualities of Robert Silverberg mingled with the dose d'humour of Iain Banks.  I am not in a position to disagree.The review also states that Hardwired is a foundation stone of the edifice of cyberpunk, which is pretty damned...

Bumping Bubbles

Via Sarah, news of the first observational evidence of the existence of other universes.  And they didn't find just one footprint, they found four.Nothing in physics prevents the possibilities of outside universes, but neither has it helped to constrain them, leaving scientists free to talk of branes and bubbles. Many of these ideas have been considered untestable, but a paper uploaded to arXiv last month considers the effects of two universes colliding and searches for fingerprints of...

Lo, I Am Quoted

It's a big sloppy New Year kiss for the whole world!
I am interviewed in Clarkesworld.

A Good Start

It has to be admitted that 2011 is starting out well, with the first review of Deep State showing up in my inbox.
I would quote at length, but it's full of spoilers, so let me just give you the last two paragraphs.
It's an exciting mix of spy thriller, adventure, and romance, and as is typical of Williams, it's all extremely well-done.

Highly recommended.

Santa Solo

I've noticed that in many European countries, St. Nicholas seems to have a helper.  Black Peter, Krampus, Knecht Ruprecht, Hanstrappe, Belzeniggl, Pere Fouettard . . . there are rather a lot of them all told.   In the Czech Republic, St. Nicholas has two assistants, Angel and Devil.St. Nicholas and his assistants have a fairly clear division of labor.  Nick rewards the good children, and the assistant punishes the baddies.  Exactly how the assistant does this varies depending on the...

Ready to Launch

So here I am on Christmas Day, just a few years ago, ready to launch myself into the future.
Wherever you are this holiday season, I hope you have a great takeoff and a trouble-free flight.
(And PS: Happy Birthday, Isaac Newton!)

Seated Freestanding

Here's the cover photo for our splendid calendar, featuring the giant bronze Buddha on Lantau Island, in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.   The local gwailo call him "Big Buddha," and, at 112 feet [35 meters or so], he is claimed to be the largest seated freestanding Buddha in the world. (One would think that "seated freestanding" is a contradiction in terms, but apparently not.)The Po Lin Monastery was founded around 1900 with the intention of becoming a "rich monastery," and...

Western Sunset

It's that season when old friends come to town, when social occasions like fondue parties, tree-decorating parties, dinner parties, and party parties all start crowding together.This is one reason why I haven't been online much, and haven't been posting much here.  Cuz, dude, I have friends who want to see me.  And they are all so awesomely cool that I have to go.(Well, I suppose I could have live-blogged the fondue party.  "We are now trying the Gruyere.  Wow!  Tasty!"  But I decided to...

Scary Solstice

It's not often that you get an actual solar eclipse right on the solstice.  (I've watched Third Contact even as I write.)
But you have to ask yourself . . . is this unique astronomical event part of a sinister Plan?  Are the stars now Right?
Will They return?

Early Xmas

So here I am modeling my nifty holiday present from the students of Taos Toolbox 2010, a custom tee with a splendid, special design front and back.  (That bear must have made quite an impression.)My thanks to all concerned for my lovely new fashion statement.And while I'm here, allow me to remind everyone that we're still accepting applications for Taos Toolbox 2011— the gift that really keeps on giving.And by the way, have I mentioned that there is a financial incentive to apply for Toolbox ...