Loki: On Tricksters and Gods

by Clarence Haynes

Otherland’s second Mythic Fiction Book Club discussion is this Friday, July 26th, 19.30 at the Otherland Bookshop. We’ll be focusing on the 2014 novelThe Gospel of Loki by well-known British author Joanne M. Harris. Gospel of Loki is part of the author’s "Rune" series of releases, with a titular character known by many as the trickster god of Norse mythology. Harris chronicles various tales spun from traditional myth all via Loki’s perspective, who wholly owns his status as a shapeshifting deity of mischief and deceit, albeit feeling misunderstood at times by his godly cohorts. 

For more background details about Harris’ take on Loki, folks can visit her website: http://www.joanne-harris.co.uk/books/the-gospel-of-loki/

OBC this Friday!

Have you been able to make use of the unusually long gap between our last meeting and the next to finish the, well... unusually long and equally amazing and perplexing "Gardens of the Moon"? The book is actually Canadian author Erik Stevenson's debut and has a massively massive fanbase all around the world. As to me, I have finished it last week and I'm still processing... and processing some more my mixed feelings about which we'll surely be talking about when we meet this Friday July 12th, at 7.30 pm as usual at the Otherland Bookshop.
 

Event: The Women* in Sci Fi Spectacular August 17th and 18th

Hey Otherlanders, mark your calendars!

Final Girls Berlin and David DMP Moore have “crossed the streams” to create ONE ultimate showcase of women in Sci Fi film: “The Women in Sci Fi Spectacular”! So come with us across the galaxy for this spectacular two day event!!

Saturday August 17th and Sunday August 18th

The event will include indie features, a galaxy’s worth of sci fi shorts, classic sci fi trailer shows, and MUCH MORE!

We will be screening:

- Lizzie Borden's dystopian cult film BORN IN FLAMES

- Madeleine Olnek's hilarious CODEPENDENT LESBIAN SPACE ALIEN SEEKS SAME

- Mike Cahill's philosophical mind-bender ANOTHER EARTH

- Jennifer Phang's moving futuristic drama ADVANTAGEOUS

- and a wide selection of thought-provoking, creative sci fi shorts!!!


Final Girls Berlin Film events showcase films that are directed, written, and/or produced by women and non-binary filmmakers. We are committed to creating space for female voices and visions, whether monstrous, heroic or some messy combination of the two.
http://www.finalgirlsberlin.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/2194836200765727/

b-ware! Ladenkino
Gärtnerstraße 19, 10245 Berlin

Book Recommendations June 2019

A little less people around, a little more peace and quiet, a little bit of travelling, a lot more hot weather, a little less smoking and a lot more water drinking and reading. That, for me, is what the summer is all about and I am glad it has finally arrived in Berlin. Plus, with so many book club sessions coming up there is no shortage on books I plan to read either, to say the least. The summer schedule is set, so unless there are suddenly a bunch of international authors who spontaneously decide to visit us, it will keep on being a quiet summer with lots of reading, book club or not, and here are some recommendations from our selection for you to enjoy.

But first, check out the summer plan for the book club:
July 12 - Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
July 26 - The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris (MYTHIC FICTION BC)
August 9 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein
August 23 - Salem's Lot by Stephen King (HORROR SPECIAL)
September 13 - Summerland by Hannu Rajaniemi

The Otherland Speculative Fiction Book Club meetings are always on the second Friday of the month (or any other given Friday for the horror, mythic fiction or theory sessions) at 7.30 pm at the Otherland Bookstore.
There's always snacks and drinks that you don't have to pay for, contributions are welcome.
You never need to sign up to join us, but we appreciate it greatly that you do read the book if you're coming.

A Feast for Berlin Role Players

This Saturday, June 14th, is Free RPG-Day again and the Otherland is in on it!
That means you can feast on adventures, quickstarters, dices, t-shirts and cards of games such as The Witcher, Dungeon Crawl Classics, Starfinder, Mythic D6, all FOR FREE, all in English and while supplies last. Don't forget to drop by!

Book Club Reminder

That whipping star, that whipping star...
Frank Herbert's 1970 SF-novel featuring an agent of the infamous Bureau of Sabotage, a psychopath woman who plots a rather nonsensical plan to bring about the end of the world and an alien species who invented so-called jumpdoors that allow instant travel, is a very very interesting book, to say the least.
Meeting starts Friday, June 7th at 7.30 pm at the Otherland Bookshop as always. There will be snacks and drinks as always too.
See you there!

The Otherland Speculative Fiction Book Club meetings are always (not this month for some reason) on the second Friday of the month at 7.30 pm at the Otherland Bookstore.
There's always snacks and drinks that you don't have to pay for, contributions are welcome.
You never need to sign up to join us, but we appreciate it greatly that you do read the book if you're coming.

Upcoming OBC meetings are as follows:
June 7 -  Whipping Star by Frank Herbert
July 12 - Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
July 26 - The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris (MYTHIC FICTION BC)
August 9 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein
August 23 - Salem's Lot - Stephen King (HORROR SPECIAL)

Horror, Horror and Even More Horror

Looking for a new apartment in Berlin, my life right now is pretty much a psychological horror movie itself, but that does not prevent me from craving for more, more, more horror, especially in the form of written fiction - or a real life haunted house I can move into, if I must!
And speaking of haunted houses, I am especially excited that it is time for the horror book club again where we will discuss Michael McDowell's The Elementals, a haunted house-Southern Gothic merger. Meeting is on Friday, May 24th, at 7.30 pm at the Otherland Bookshop as usual.
I must say it is a pity there are so few other books available from McDowell; apparently he has co-written Beetlejuice as well as Nightmare Before Christmas and an intriguing book series titled "Blackwater", which is, unfortunately, out of stock... Hope Valancourt takes notice!

On a further note; the votings for the horror books have been somewhat monopolistic with the only source of suggestions being me. And having decided to go by classic horror tropes (we will discuss haunted houses and terrible places on our next meeting), I prepared a short list sorted by tropes that you can expand according to your own taste and which can serve as a basis for our votings. I bet there are many more good books out there, so please help me improve it in terms of books as well as categories! (List has been edited)