Language in Fantasy and Science Fiction

One of the things that really pulls me into a story and transports me to a fantastical or future setting is the language, specifically the invented slang and terminology for various things. For example in Star Trek we have "phasers," "beaming," "transporters," "replicators," "tricorders," "hyposprays," "Jefferies tubes," "Turbolifts," and on and on. Firefly didn't have …

Some Love for John Carter

I was distressed to see so much negativity surrounding the movie John Carter, based on the book A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, proclaiming it a weekend flop before the weekend was even over. It opened against some stiff competition (Disney’s new version of The Lorax. Give me strength). Now what in god’s …