Social meetings are on Thursday evenings, in New Hall bar. If this is unavailable at short notice, social meetings will move to the Castle Inn. Likewise, social meetings may be held in the Castle Inn outside Full Term.
Jómslunch: a buffet lunch is held each Sunday during Full Term, in conjunction with the Cambridge Tolkien Society. Food is typically available between 12.30pm and 2pm, and the cost is £1.60 a head. The venue is usually 6 Trumpington Street, room 6. Please mail soc-cusfs at lists dot cam dot ac dot uk if you would like to take part, so that we know how much food to buy.
| Sunday 28 April | Discussion: Time Travel | 6 Trumpington Street, room 6 | ||
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| Time travel; everyone's done it, from Wells in the 1890s to Star Trek in the 1990s, but what makes a good time travel plot? Should everything work out right in the end, with no real effect on history - or can the characters have a major effect on their own past? Come along and debate four-dimensional plot arcs, deus ex continua, and whether or not an author can shoot his own grandfather and still finish writing his work. | ||||
| Thursday 2 May | Comedy Reading (and Social Meeting) | New Hall bar | ||
| Come, read, and listen to others' choices of comedy in Sci-Fi and fantasy. Intentional or otherwise, come and share your favourite giggles with others as a bit of light relief in Easter Term. A wonderful opportunity to wind down, meet other members, and have a relaxing drink. | ||||
| Sunday 5 May | Discussion: Anne McCaffrey | 51, Barton Road | ||
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Pern is an idyllic world for those of an agrarian persuasion.
Unfortunately it is ravaged by a space-borne semi-lifeform called
`thread' which is inimical to all organic matter. The early settlers
geneered a local flying reptiloid to produce dragons, and adopted a
feudal government system. McCaffrey's Pern is one of the most famous of modern fantasy series, but it has been criticised for its the political and social assumptions and undertones. Come along and discuss Pern, or any of Annie's other works. |
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| Sunday 12 May 7.30pm |
Discussion: Neal Stephenson | 46 Lensfield Road, room 3 | ||
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Neal Stephenson is a leading modern cyberpunk author. His best known
works include the now classic Snow Crash, the nanotechnology-based
Diamond Age and the stunning cypherpunk tour-de-force Cryptonomicon.
Come and hear Stephenson evangelised, find out about his other works,
try to help figure out the plot in Cryptonomicon, or tell us all why
you think he's overrated. Please note the earlier start time of 7.30pm. |
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| Wednesday 15 May | Speaker Meeting: Paul Cornell | Peterhouse, Music Room | ||
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Paul Cornell is an accomplished writer whose work includes many novels,
together with TV and audio credits including 'Seasons of Fear' for Big
Finish Productions and several episodes of 'Casualty' for the BBC. His
science fiction is unashamedly and refreshingly English, dealing with
themes of spirituality and humanity that are too often ignored in the
genre, like a hyperactive, post-modern, pagan C.S. Lewis. He will be reading from his two original science fiction novels, Something More and the forthcoming British Summertime. |
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| Sunday 19 May | Games Evening and Vice-Presidential Elections | Trinity College, New Court, room H2 | ||
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The perfect antidote to Easter-term exam-blues is the CUSFS Games
Evening - bring a game or three (SF/Fantasy theme an advantage), and
have a bit of fun. Furthermore, CUSFS will be electing 6 honorary Vice-Presidents in accordance with the constitution. The returning officer has decided that this year, election will be trial by combat, with each member present being able to champion two candidates for election. Weapons will be provided, and we don't expect anyone to be hurt! Mail any nominations to the returning officer, Matthew Vernon. |
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| Saturday 15 June evening |
Veizla | Trinity College | ||
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The Reeve of Jómsborg the New hereby announces to all Jómsvikingar and CUSFS members details of the 2002 Veizla. The menu will be:
... with a selection of wines and port. Please advise if you have any special dietary requirements, or if you require the vegetarian option. The assembled throng will be challenged by the Reeve to entertain him (and themselves) with a haiku. The evening will also see the installation of the new Reeve and Companions. Those attending the Veizla will usually be expected to attire themselves in fancy dress or black tie. If this may cause problems, those concerned are welcome to discuss the matter with the Reeve, to identify suitable alternatives. The price for this annual jollification is £32 for drinkers (including mead reception) and £23 for the alcoholically disinclined. There is a fixed maximum capacity for the venue, so anyone wishing to take part is encouraged to contact the CUSFS Treasurer, Tom Davidson (Corpus) ASAP, with a cheque. The deadline for bookings is Thursday 6th June. |
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| Sunday 16 June 11am start |
Summerthing | venue TBA | ||
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The Summerthing is Jómsborg's annual nautical expedition to Grantchester (avoiding Norway completely), for a self-catering picnic in the meadows. In a change from previous years, this event is being shared with the Cambridge Tolkien Society's Puntmoot, and accordingly will a) start earlier and b) require advance booking. It starts at 11am, and will cost £7 to cover punt hire and a picnic lunch at Grantchester, plus £2 for those who wish to drink beer. Booking details (INCLUDING deadline) as for the Veizla. |
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Last recorded update: 24 June 2004, by Mark Waller
Status: awaiting checking against missives, at least for Veizla
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