FLY SOUP

The amazing and talented Dan Allen has just put up my Imperial Imprecision  post at the  Aurealis  Xpress website. It begins thus: Imperial Imprecision It’s long been known that Star Wars: A New Hope contains examples of some of the worst marksmanship in the history of cinema, particularly with respect to the Emperor’s ‘elite’ forces. But how bad were they really? Wouldn’t it be awesome if there was a statistical measure of exactly how astonishingly bad imperial stormtroopers were at hitting their mark?  Click here to read more... Because reading more makes you supercool...

Aurealis #74 is a great read, and of course, contains some thoughts from me on The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark . The blurb reads thus:  In this issue we feature Imogen Cassidy’s ‘Soul Partner’, an urban fantasy gumshoe pastiche with some original touches, and Leife Shallcross’ creepy and engrossing ‘Music for an Ivory Violin’. Chris Large brings some thoughtful silliness* with his ‘When a Jedi Should Think Twice About Bringing a Knife to a Gunfight’ , and Stephen Higgins continues his SF’s Sacred Cows with Asimov's Foundation. *Read: awesomeness!  BUY IT.

Harrison Ford doesn't mind shoving a gun in your face and there's no doubt he's been the toter of some of the coolest guns in movie history - but which is the best? I compare two in Aurealis #74: Han Solo's DL-44 Blaster, and Indiana's 1917M revolver, with surprising results. Ford's "G" face has changed a lot over the years, from the languid intensity of Han Solo, to the glaring hatred of Deckard and Indiana, all the way through to the weary, war-torn Jack Ryan in Patriot Games. Then there's this: Gotta love the guy's enthusiasm. Can't wait for Solo MkII in Star Wars VII. Yeeeharrr!

I guess there's a first time for everything! As part of my commitment to start writing again I joined the Canberra Spec Fic Goup (CSFG) as an 'outer' Canberra member. Since I'm based in Tassie their definition of 'outer' is clearly pretty broad, which is great for me. I already know a few of the guys and I met a few more last year at the launch of Next so I'm hoping being a part of writerly discussion will bring me back from the brink of oblivion and set me firmly back on the page once more.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag has easily surpassed my previous favourite game (Mass Effect 2) and then some. Anyone with a sense of adventure, anyone who likes a hearty sea shanty before bed time, anyone who yearns for a good old-fashioned sea duel and a bit of looting along the Spanish Main should play this game. You can almost feel the salty spray on your face, or the shudder of your ship as enemy cannon balls crash through it (in fact you can actually feel that through the hand controller). And I guarantee you'll raise a hearty cheer the first time you swing onto the rigging of a Brig and air assassinate its captain. "But I'm waiting to get it on my next gen console..." I hear you whimper. "Arrr, those be mighty soft words for a pirate!" I reply (as one of my crew mates did to me only last night). I got the PS3 version, which also contained a voucher to download the PS4 version for $14.99 extra. Awesome value and I can play it NOW. And I have be...