"The Works of Olaf Stapledon" - January 28 Meeting

A comparatively brief discussion today. Two abstentions, one absence due to family emerging from the Abyssal depths unexpectedly, and the table had an unusual shape.

And I think we found an author who, despite my love for his works Star Maker and Odd John, could not sustain the interest of the entire club for a full meeting.

Good news, people. We've done Olaf Stapledon now. Like the Bradbury and J G Ballard and John Wyndham meetings before, we do not have to discuss that author, ever again.

The digressions, regrettably, turned out more entertaining than the topic. A certain real hill in Wallasey, on the Wirral, provided the inspiration for the launch point of the Traveller's wandering mind in Star Maker, leading me to speculate on the Olaf Stapledon Appreciation Society holding annual pilgrimages up that hill on the anniversary of Stapledon's birth, barefoot, white monastic robes, chanting, torches held high, and a blood sacrifice in the woods for dessert.

And later, the John Norman "Gor" series of novels got a mention. As did the Will Smith movie "I, Robot." Just to show that some things are infinitely worse than anything Olaf Stapledon could come up with.

Anyway, there you go. Next month, the topic of romance and relationships in SF and Fantasy.