Glasgow Worldcon 2024 viewing list

[vivdunstan]

I've just finished my marathon viewing of a large bunch of videos on catchup from the Glasgow Worldcon this summer. Watching on catchup I missed out the chance to take part in the live Q&As. And I also found the user interface rather cumbersome, that I had to watch on my laptop, which limited how frequently I could do so. But I still managed to get through quite a large number of talks.

Here are the events I watched, each one about an hour long, typically with 45 main minutes of discussion, followed by 15 minutes of audience Q&A:

• AI and Work - Do Androids Dream of Taking Your Job?
• ENIAC and the Post-War Dawn of the Computer age
• The Horror Out Of Space
• *Scot-ish: The Influence of Scotland on Fantasy Worldbuilding
• It's Life, Jim, but Not as We Know It
• *Iain Banks: Between Genre and the Mainstream
• All the Shakespeare: the Bard's Influence on SFF
• The Untold History of Worldcons
• Inadvisable Rocket Science
• A Fireside Chat with Samantha Béart
• Guest of Honour Interview: Ken MacLeod
• *The Many Legs of SF: Creepy Crawlies in Space
• 50 Years of TTRPGs
• Comics Can Save Your Life
• Faeries in Fantasy Literature

I've marked out above those with asterisks that I especially enjoyed. To pull those out specifically these were:

• Scot-ish: The Influence of Scotland on Fantasy Worldbuilding
• Iain Banks: Between Genre and the Mainstream
• The Many Legs of SF: Creepy Crawlies in Space

The first two of these had obvious Scottish connections, which I unsurprisingly appreciated. But I also found them particularly rewarding in other respects. But I enjoyed something in everything I watched, not just these particular highlight talks.

Martin and I had originally hoped to be at the Glasgow 2024 Worldcon in person. We had low cost attending memberships in place. But things didn't work out that way. However I was able to watch on catchup, and have very much enjoyed that. I was also active in the Discord during the convention, and treated myself to some purchases inspired by the Dealers' Hall.

Comments

[greenwoodside]

The 'influence of Scotland' one sounds marvellous. What was its general argument?

Please feel free to ignore the below! I'm just musing out loud.

One of the other talks you mention is on Shakespeare, and I guess Macbeth is one point of intersection there with its Scottish setting *and* witches.

Plus there are the border ballads, thinking especially of Tam Lin. (Though of the two fantasy books that were definitely written in response to it, one author was American -- Pamela Dean -- and the other, Diana Wynne Jones, was English).

Classic/trope-setting fantasy -- Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde. To my shame, I've never read it. I was a bit surprised just now to see that it's set in London. In the extra-fictional version that lived inside my head, it was Edinburgh.

Tragically, I don't think there's a sub-genre of Edinburgh Urban Fantasy. I would be there for it.

Thinking of mainstream modern fantasy, then I guess the Wall from the A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones series is one inheritance. At least when I read the series, my thought was of Hadrian's Wall. Perhaps wrongly -- I guess George Martin could have been thinking of the Great Wall of China.

[vivdunstan]

Here's the full panel blurb:

"The history, people and landscape of Scotland have had a considerable influence on science fiction (Gemmell, Martin, MacLeod) and fantasy and folklore (as in the work of our GoH Terri Windling). Some writers who use Scotland know it intimately. Others appear to be locked into the fantasy Scotland of Braveheart. Why is this, and what are the opportunities and pitfalls caused by this phenomena? Are some kinds of Scotland more palatable than others? What would our panel like to see?"

It was a round table discussion between the four panelists inc chair. And very wide ranging. I can only remember some details now!

Things trying to portray a fantasy version of Scotland directly obviously got a mention. Not least Outlander, with its rather problematic depiction of history. That also tied in with the discussion of what Scottish history works, either directly or as elements. Eg there's much about the romantic notion of the Highlanders, but less about eg rural Scotland. Or modern day Scotland.

Scottish history inspiring other works of SFF was mentioned. Obviously Game of Thrones - not just the Wall, but also the 1440 "Black Dinner" which inspired Martin's "Red Wedding". But also more widely there was the concept of the underdog dealing with a larger and more powerful foe/neighbour.

Things with Scottish elements were discussed. Eg why are the dwarves in Middle Earth (in LOTR films and Rings of Power) often shown as Scottish accented, and what does that tell us versus the posh English sounding elves. Someone mentioned the Spanish cough cough Sean Connery in Highlander ;) And there was some discussion of Gaelic language in film/books/etc.

Scottish food was discussed! And how it's always haggis that gets mentioned in fictional depictions. Whereas there is way much more.

And also how there is very little city-inspired Scottish SFF. And, again, how the cities are generally underrepresented.

But there was just so much, and I can't remember all the details now. But I enjoyed it hugely.

There is at least one series of Edinburgh urban fantasy books BTW: the Edinburgh Nights books by T.L. Huchu. Albeit set in a somewhat mysteriously dystopian Edinburgh! But you may want to check out.

[greenwoodside]

Thank you so much for the summary and pointer towards Edinburgh Nights/Huchu.


Scottish food was discussed! And how it's always haggis that gets mentioned in fictional depictions. Whereas there is way much more

I can certainly never recall reading a fantasy book that took in cranachan or Arbroath smokies.

I love Lexie Conyngham's books, though she always does whodunnits and not fantasy to my slight regret. But her regency/early Victorian series certainly range more widely than haggis. I've spotted brose (much complained about by the narrator), bannocks cooked on a griddle and, though not specifically Scottish, negus.

[greenwoodside]

Scottish history inspiring other works of SFF was mentioned. Obviously Game of Thrones - not just the Wall, but also the 1440 "Black Dinner" which inspired Martin's "Red Wedding".

Ooh, I remember the Black Dinner coming up in Rona Munro's James plays. Hadn't realised that GRRM had consciously drawn on that for the Red Wedding.

I've never seen Outlander -- mentally filed it away in the Braveheart drawer, though I'm not sure how fair that is.

It sounds like a fabulous talk. Thanks again for sharing some of it.

[vivdunstan]

Happy to help!