Envy is the religion of the mediocre. It comforts them, it soothes their worries, and finally it rots their souls, allowing them to justify their meanness and their greed until they believe these to be virtues. Such people are convinced that the doors of heaven will be opened only to poor wretches like themselves who go through life without leaving any trace bu their threadbare attempts to belittle others and to exclude -- and destroy if possible -- those who, by the simple fact of their existence, show up their own poorness of spirit, mind, and guts. Blessed be the one at whom the fools bark, because his soul will never belong to them.

Very interesting video interview with the author at a con in Zagreb, Croatia.

Check it out! And be sure to read Bakker's The Judging Eye (Canada, USA, Europe), if you haven't done so already!

There are plenty of science fiction yarns lying around various shelves, sadly unread as of yet. And yes, to my shame, from top scifi authors to boot. Too many, if I'm honest. . .

With this latest survey, you guys will help me select which of these popular and critically acclaimed author I should read next. Here are the nominees:

- In Conquest Born by C. S. Friedman (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Prador Moon by Neal Asher (Canada, USA, Europe)

- The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds (Canada, USA, Europe)

- Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks (Canada, USA, Europe)

Each novel is part of a vaster, more ambitious saga. I figure I can't go wrong with any of these selections, but feel free to chime in on what I should go for and why. For those who, like me, have yet to give these scifi/space opera series, you know what to do!;-)

In hardcover:

Generally speaking, people useless at everything else become academics.

Thanks to the author's generosity, these five winners will receive a complimentary copy of The Price of Spring. For more info about this title: Canada, USA, Europe.

Would you like to be a part of Worldcon: Anticipation, but cannot afford to pay the expensive membership fee? By becoming a volunteer, you could be part of the action without paying a single penny.

The con needs help in organizing divisions, working in various departments, or as local guides or on-site.

Click on this link for more information.

This lucky guy will get his hands on a copy of the US trade paperback edition of Ian Cameron Esslemont's Night of Knives (Canada, USA, Europe) and a UK mass market paperback edition of Return of the Crimson Guard (Canada, USA, Europe), compliments of Yours Truly!