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Science fiction fans with a sense of humor should enjoy Sharyn McCrumb's Bimbos of the Death Sun. The story begins when engineering professor James Owen Mega ("Jay Omega") decides to attend his first science fiction/fantasy convention ("con") to promote a book called Bimbos of the Death Sun. Events at the con are progressing at their normal chaotic pace -- with Trekkies, SCAdians, war-gamers, and filksingers running amok -- when the con's special guest author, a fantasy writer as renowned for his unpleasant personality as for his
creative works, is found murdered. As the con's remaining guest author, Jay receives a crash course in the world of science fiction/fantasy conventions as he finds himself judging writing contests, running a role-playing game, and dodging irate fans while trying to help the police solve the murder. I found Bimbos of the Death Sun to be a very funny book despite (or perhaps because of) McCrumb's uncomfortably accurate portrayal of the worst side of science fiction fans and their conventions. One of the things that makes Bimbos of the Death Sun especially entertaining is the juxtaposition of dedicated science fiction fans with ordinary people ("mundanes") who have never before experienced a con. Scenes such as Star Trek fans asking a Scottish folksinger to don a kilt for their wedding, or a police officer overhearing (and completely misunderstanding) a conversation between two war-gamers had me chuckling ruefully. As McCrumb writes in her Author's Note: "Bimbos of the Death Sun was intended to be an observation of the culture of fandom, and a gentle warning. Science fiction writers build castles in the air; the fans move into them; and the publishers collect the rent. It's a nice place to visit, but please don't try to live there."
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