Following the publication of The Dispossessed (1974), Ursula K. Le Guin ceased to write new stories in her Hainish universe. In the following years, she wrote some of the books which are less well known today, including the Orsinia books and the experimental Always Coming Home (1985). At the time it must have seemed as if Le Guin was finished with the Hainish cycle - but after a 16-year break, she began to publish new short stories in 1990. Eventually, she followed these up with one of the most structurally unusual books in the Hainish series - Four Ways to Forgiveness. 

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Originally published in late 2008, the Destiny trilogy is a major linchpin of Star Trek tie-in fiction. This hugely ambitious series combines characters, ships and backstory from several TV series and films and is a deeply rewarding read for Star Trek fans.

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In the glut of World War II shooters that followed in the wake of Saving Private Ryanand Band of Brothers, it could be difficult for a game to be distinctive. With their first original project Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30, Gearbox Software used an increased focus on realism and small-unit tactics to help them stand out from the crowd.

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In 2006, EA proudly presented a collected set of all of the Command & Conquer games released in the series' first decade. The second decade was far less successful, however, with a string of catastrophic failures and cancelled projects. This episode takes a deep dive look at the glittering diamond in the rough - the magnificently camp Red Alert 3, which is still a pleasure to play today.

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"Nobody gives Schwarzenegger a raw deal!" On April 1, Arnold's 1986 flop actioner directed by John Irvin will get another chance to impress, when it is added to Netflix. This episode takes a look at the film, arguing that it deserves the same cult status enjoyed by Stallone's movie of 1986, Cobra. It also recaps the strange story of Raw Deal's co-writer, and how the film's failure helped lead to the success of Total Recall in 1990.

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In 2003, the New York Times published an article casting judgement on which show was “the best spy series in television history.” The writer, Terence Rafferty, wasn’t thinking of the then-current hit series 24. He was writing about an obscure British series which had barely been broadcast in the United States - The Sandbaggers.  Exploring this unique and little-remembered series is fascinating for its low-key approach and its implications about the UK's place in the world.

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Resuming my exploration of the Hainish cycle by Ursula K. Le Guin, I reach The Dispossessed (1974). One of her most acclaimed books, it won the Hugo, Locus and Nebula Awards for Best Novel. This brief recap looks at the book's exploration of radically different forms of social and economic organisation, set on the two worlds of Urras and Anarres.

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"An Action Canon" is a new series which looks at some of the best and most important action movies of all time, and explores why they have a crucial place in the genre's history. This first instalment focuses on Paul Verhoeven's subversive sci-fi action masterpiece RoboCop (1987), which is definitely the only movie by that name ever released.

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Funded by a hugely successful kickstarter in 2012, Shadowrun Returns is that rare thing - an RPG which can be finished in a modest amount of time. This short piece looks at the appeal of an RPG which is made to be completed, and not just dipped into.

Read my top games of 2020 published by Entertainium here.

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Kathryn Bigelow's 1995 cyberpunk thriller Strange Days was a major flop, and seriously damaged her career. Watched 25 years later to see in the New Year, the movie is more relevant and impressive than ever - despite an ending that seems overly hopeful right now.

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