THE BIG BOY'S BOOK OF 1001 THINGS TO DO IN ZERO GRAVITY WITH A FEDERATION HAND BLASTER

Mini Review By Sarah Thompson

I was delighted to learn from an ad in the back of Judith's spiffy new edition of =Mindfire= that another classic zine, =The Big Boy's Book of 1001 Things to Do in Zero Gravity with a Federation Hand Blaster=, is still available from the original publisher, Green Dragon Press. And very cheaply, too! It's £3 or $6, postage included (no mention of what to do for Australian orders, but you could e-mail and ask). Checks should be payable to Jean Sheward. They can take dollars in cash, and orders are filled very promptly, by return mail in fact. I just got mine and am very happy with it.

[[ Note zine now available directly click on the buy me above]]

The address is:

Green Dragon Press
2 Willow Mead
Chigwell Row
Essex IG7 6JR
UK
Or e-mail: 106303.1124@compuserve.com

The zine contains three stories by Oriole Alma Throckmorton. "Neither Love nor Money" is a comic alternate version of the Avon- Anna story, written after "Countdown" but before "Rumours." Gen, really, although it does pair Anna and-- Tynus!

"Licence" is the standout story. According to the editorial, it was the first slash story written for publication in B7 fandom. And it's a Tarrant story! It's about his youthful adventures with the masterful Jarvik. He's telling the story to his present bedmate, and at the very end we find out who that is. I won't tell, but I think a lot of people on this list will be pleased. :)

"Food for Thought" is a funny story in which Vila acquires a pet dragon, whose diet is human virgins. Which crew member or members must be carefully protected?

Also included are some funny smutty limericks, and the Servalan filk "Mistress of the Universe," which was recorded by Linda Short on one of her filk tapes; there's no indication of who wrote the poetry.

There are amusing, nicely decorative line drawings by Jean Sheward. Since the zine was produced ten years ago, without benefit of computers, the production quality does not compare to current publications like Judith's; but it is legible, wonderfully reasonably priced, and the stories are excellent-- especially "Licence." Highly recommended! Get it while you can!

Review By Julia Jones

Neither Love Nor Money Avon finally tells Blake about Anna Grant. Since the story was written shortly before _Rumours of Death_ was first screened, it bears no relation to canon. It's still a good might-have-been, with a plausible explanation of the backstory of Tynus and Avon. Well worth reading, even if it's now wildly AU.

Licence Allegedly the first slash story written in B7. And it's a Tarrant/Jarvik! An explanation for why Jarvik thinks Tarrant is a Real Man, and a neat suggestion as to how and why an FSA graduate came to be a mercenary.

Food for Thought Vila goes on a shopping trip and brings back a dragon. The preferred diet of dragons is freshly killed human virgin, which leads to much fun and games as we find out who does or doesn't qualify as dragon dinner. Yes, it's silly. I still liked it.

A very slim zine at 22 pages, including a couple of pages of limericks and poetry as well as the above, but a lot of fun. Recommended.

Contents

Date: August 1983
Fiction:
"Neither Love Nor Money" (A/Anna Grant)
"Licence" (T/Jarvik)
"Food for Thought" (rating this one is... um... tricky. Vila brings a hungry dragon on board, and dragons only eat virgins. Finding out *who* gets regarded as lunch is rather the point of this one.)

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Last updated on 21st of December 2007.