011 The Functional Nerds
In the Eleventh episode of The Functional Nerds, Patrick Hester and John Anealio are joined by the latest recruit in the 3rd Nerd Army, Andrew Liptak! Andrew is a blogger/writer who has contributed to i09 & SFSignal, has a Masters Degree in Military History and chats with us about: Military Science Fiction, John Scalzi, Orson Scott Card, Robert Heinlein, Forever war, old Man’s War, Starship Troopers, Stargate Universe and the Scalzi product placement, the photo I took that ended up on Scalzi’s blog, Dune, Frank Herbert, Avatar, what is Military scifi, J.R.R. Tolkien, how war(s) and combat affects fiction writers, Star Wars Jedi Trial, Cory Doctorow, NASA and the future of the US space program, Superman the Ride, Russian spies in space, the GeekDad podcast, Z (Hipster, please!), Green Lantern, Doctor Who, Serenity, The Lone Ranger, Pyr Books, We don’t need another hero (or trilogy), Nerdcore, Facebook & glam rock bands. Yes. Glam Rock bands.
Featuring Music by: Dale Chase & John Anealio
© 2010 Patrick Hester & John Anealio
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Tolkien: I think you are thinking actually of C.S. Lewis when it came to evacuating children during the Blitz. Lewis incorporated that into “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe”. Tolkien was more affected by trench warfare during WWI. There is at least one decent biography that focuses on that period of his life.
Rockets/non-rockets: There are lots of proposals on how to get into space. The problem is scaling/implementing. Space elevators, cannon, laser launchers and more. As for “magnets”–not a new idea. See Arthur C. Clarke, both his work with the British Interplanetary Society and in the book “Prelude to Space” and various short stories. The magnetic launcher was revived a number of times, for example, by Gerard K. O’Neil for his “Lagrange Colonies” idea (1970’s). One big problem with cannons or magnetic launchers is overcoming air resistance–you might see this sort of stuff on the Moon, etc., before the Earth.
MilSF: Too bad the call was lost! As for “writers who have been in wars later than Vietnam”, look to Mike Williamson, John Ringo, Tom Kratman as a start. There is at least one or two “Warhammer 40,000” novels by a author who was in (IIRC) Afghanistan with a country other than the US (Australia, maybe?). I’m drawing a blank on the name.
David Drake: Dale, he wrote more than the “Isles” books. He also has written historical fantasy, space opera inspired by the works of Patrick O’Brian (the Leary of the RCN series–current book features “Commander Kiesche”, hmmmm…), horror and (most famously) the “Hammer’s Slammers” series which grew out of Drake’s experience in Vietnam and is one of the founding pillars of post-WWII military SF (if Heinlein was the first generation, then Wolfe, Haldeman, Pournelle and Drake–among a very few others–are the second generation, growing out of Korea and Vietnam).
Two shows to listen to (still), will get to them today. Good stuff (although I’m amazed how you can say when an interview subject s lose how you’ll “cut the show short” but then go on for another half-hour! Heh!)
Looking forward to a long run for the show.