I will be spending the weekend in Boston, attending their excellent science fiction convention, Boskone. Since the convention is a very fine one, and it’s a large regional convention that is still about books, I urge those of you who can be there to attend.
Here’s my schedule, for anyone who would care to connect with me.
Reading by Walter Jon Williams
Format: Reading
16 Feb 2018, Friday 16:30 – 17:00, Griffin (Westin)
Walter Jon Williams
Class Structure in SF and Fantasy
Format: Panel
17 Feb 2018, Saturday 12:00 – 13:00, Burroughs (Westin)
Where’s all the great SF/F about working stiffs? Even if they serve as more than set dressing, working-class heroes often undergo some Cinderella transformation that moves them up in class. What stories succeed in keeping the class and culture of their protagonists intact, treating them seriously and realistically while launching them on their fantastic journeys? Does SF see the preservation of class systems as important, or is it just a tool to keep a good person down?
Breaking the Laws of Magic
17 Feb 2018, Saturday 14:00 – 15:00, Harbor III (Westin)
Brandon Sanderson, in his First Law of Magics: “An author’s ability to solve conflict with magic is DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL to how well the reader understands said magic.” George R. R. Martin: “I want hints of the unknowable. I want awe and wonder. I want mystery. I want to discover but also be unsure of what I’m about to encounter. I guess that means I want magic!” Is it important to have a system of magic? Once you’ve defined a given magic system’s limits, is it OK to break them?
The Magic of Historical Fantasies
Format: Panel
17 Feb 2018, Saturday 15:00 – 16:00, Harbor III (Westin)
Fantasies set in the past are growing ever more popular. Why do we love stepping back in time and sprinkling a little magic into the past? Could these same stories be told in modern times, or would some of that magic be lost? And when changing the workings of the known world by adding magic, is it still important to keep historical details correct?
Autographing: Jon Hunt, Scott Lynch, Tamora Pierce, Walter Jon Williams
Format: Autographing
17 Feb 2018, Saturday 17:00 – 18:00, Galleria – Autographing (Westin)
Kaffeeklatsch: Walter Jon Williams
Format: Kaffeeklatsch
18 Feb 2018, Sunday 12:00 – 13:00, Galleria – Con Suite (Westin)
