Readercon 15, Burlington, MA, 11-13 July 2003
The Golden Age of SF Is Now
Panel Description: "Furrowed brows over the state and future of sf are the standard at conventions, perhaps necessarily so, but today we stop to consider how good we have it. The standard of writing, at all lengths, is higher than it has ever been. More writers than ever are building on the past in ever-more-inventive ways. Reprint projects are making available the best of the past. Many of us are finding that there are far more fine books than time to read them. An exploration of our many reasons to be cheerful. "
Harry Stubbs (aka Hal Clement)
"I don't see how I can give an objective answer to that..."
"In my teens, I was very stuffy..."
Ellen Datlow:
"I'm not loving enough of what I'm getting."
David Hartwell:
"There was a Canadian Renaissance [in the Nineties], unquestionably a large group of very talented Canadian writers hitting the world scene, in all parts of science fiction."
Shane Tourtellotte
"[During the Fifties] Sturgeon's Law was in effect!"
Unfortunately, nobody in the audience could hear a word over the clashing of Shane's and David's ties...
Farah
Mendlesohn:
"I was accused [at another convention] of being a British patriot. ...Blow it, I am! I'm a British patriot!"
"There's a real kick-assness to this fiction [current UK SF]."
