Program Details 2023*
Title
The Eye of Argon
Description
In 1970, teenager Jim Theis wrote The Eye of Argon. It was supposed to be a high fantasy quest adventure, but it was… it wasn’t good. 15 years later, a copy of the story appeared at a convention, and it took on a life of its own. People would try to read it out loud without laughing at the typos, mistakes, and word infelicities. It developed a cult following.
Share in the legend of The Eye of Argon. Ian Randal Strock will discuss the history of the story, and how it came to be both awful and beloved. Then join the cult, as we try to read the story in the approved round-robin fashion.
Presenter’s Name
Ian Strock
Presenter’s Website
http://www.IanRandalStrock.com
Presenter’s Bio
Ian Randal Strock (www.IanRandalStrock.com) has been attending sf conventions since 1989, and frequently encountered The Eye of Argon before joining the performing troupe that brought the story new life. His company, Fantastic Books (www.FantasticBooks.biz), published the sequel anthology. When not celebrating bad fantasy fiction, he actually writes award-winning science fiction and non-fiction, and publishes good books by other authors. He’s also the Secretary of American Mensa.
*Note: This program was offered last year and may or may not be offered again this year.
