Live from the Orbit Books website...the winners of the Ian Banks name a Culture ship competition. I didn't win this one *sigh*

ASKING FOR A SLAP, BILL ME LATER, CERTAIN SENSE OF WONDER, DRAMA QUEEN, FEIGNING INNOCENCE, HIGHLY STRUNG, INNOCENT BYSTANDER, LOOK BOTH WAYS, NERVROVOROUS, OH WELL, RTFM, SUBJECT TO CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS, SWEPT ALONG BY EVENTS, ATROCIOUS TABLE MANNERS, BUDGET CUTS, CONSOLATION OF DREAMS, FASHIONABLY LATE, GUESS WHAT, IMAGINARY FRIEND, JUST VISITING, MIND YOUR HEAD, NOTHING PERSONAL, PURITY OF SPIRIT, REASONABLE DOUBT, SUBTLE NUANCE and TARNISHED REPUTATION.

Of these, Iain's top five were:

SWEPT ALONG BY EVENTS, CONSOLATION OF DREAMS, IMAGINARY FRIEND, NOTHING PERSONAL and REASONABLE DOUBT.

And of these, Iain's favourite was ä REASONABLE DOUBT.

There were also two entries which Iain had already thought of (he keeps a big list!), and one that was very similar, so we've decided that it's only fair to count these as additional joint winners:

COLLATERAL DAMAGE, SURPLUS TO REQUIREMENTS and SPEAK SOFTLY AND CARRY BIG GUNS

Congratulations to Ian Hopkins, Dragi Raos, Charlie Kay and Michael Maddux, who sent the winning entries.

See it on their site.

The new book is called Look to Windward and they seem quite pleased with it. I've been blasting through Banks' fiction work and so far it's quite good though my personal preference is his sci-fi stuff. I can't wait myself ^_^ hwoever the UK edition isn't out till August?!!! It's avail for pre-order on Amazon.com's UK site. Imagine the Halo/Look to Windward box set....drooooooooool.

2.20.000

Over on the halo.bunige.org forums Matt Soell addresses people's concerns over some comments made in an interview from the latest ish of Inside Mac Games.

I also received my confirmation email from the people at E3. I'll be there to see, please dear god, a playable version of HALO.

In case you missed it, Steve jackson games mentioned they had taken a little trip to Bungie recently. I sent the post in to the Marathon Story page. But the locale has been moved. Here is the archived location. It's the last item on the page...just look for that handsome devil Dougie Doug "They're Evreywhere" Zartman. Note the Oni and ??? images on the desktops in the back...perhaps they're working on Halo GURPs and perhaps it's that mysterious other title that's been lurking out of the public eye.

On a side note write to bungie and demand some Halo merch! We've got all the Konoko we can handle!!!! Where are the Marine door posters?!!! T-shirts, figures, board game, tooth brushes!!!

Finally some legit HALO news ^_^

2.13.000

Well not much of note lately. John Carmack had some reserved, but kind, words on Halo in an interview at Firing Squad. I'm definitely headed westward for this year's E3 if only for the chance to actually try out Halo. Well that and Phantasy Star Online ^_^

Recent things of note gaming wise are...well not much sadly. Crazy Taxi is amazing. I played my first Chu Chu Rocket multiplayer which proved to be infinitely better than the single player. I also tried the Infiltration mod for Unreal Tournament. Well they managed to turn a game I hated into something that I actually have fun with. But nothing is quite as nice as Halo except maybe Shen Mue.

My fav anime director Satoshi Kon has something new in the works as well. Sen'nen Joyu or Actress of the Millenium (literal translation), Kon directed Perfect Blue and Magnetic Rose in addition to several anime music videos in Japan. Blue Sub No. 6 vol 4 is coming at the end of March as well...but now there will be o new sci-fi anime for me to watch :( hehe