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The 1992 British National Science Fiction Convention
17-20 April 1992, Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool

GoHs: Geoff Ryman, Paul J. McAuley, (fan) Pam Wells

The main excitement was before the con even started: the Norbeck Castle Hotel (sort of castle-shaped, in a concretey sort of way) went into voluntary receivership in February. But it was 'refinanced' successfully, and everything was okay for Easter.

Programme highlights

• Geoff Ryman: The Wizard of Oz (including his new book, Was)
• Concert: Golden Oldies of Filk
• John Clute and Paul Barnett (aka John Grant): The Clute Encyclopedia. A talk on the current status of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction --- including the promise of a CD-ROM version.
• Paul McAuley: GoH interview.
• Firework display. 'Illumination' lives up to its name.
• Jack Cohen, James White and Dougal Dixon: Build an Alien.
• James Steel: SimEarth. An interactive attempt to create intelligent life, with the audience shouting advice: "Nuke the Crabs!"
• Colin Jack: Travails of a Mad Inventor. Some of his, and other, inventions that could work --- power generation and weather control over the North Sea, anyone?
• Panel: Build Your Own Religion. Nothing that new; mainly a fun fight between the Christians and the Pagans.
• Martyn Fogg: Terraforming Mars. It takes a long time --- hundreds of thousands of years.