Meet Rhianna Pratchett - The woman behind the Lara Croft backstory

Rhianna Pratchett is guest of honour at Dublin’s Octocon, writes Caroline Delaney

Conferences can be a touch dull — you register your name, pin on a name tag, and listen to a few speeches before adjourning for tea and custard creams. But when you spot a weapons code of conduct — “live steel is prohibited” — then you’re probably at Octocon, where things can get lively.

Octocon is the National Irish Science Fiction Convention — a weekend-long celebration of sci-fi fans’ favourite stories from books, comics, TV, films, and games. Running since 1990, when the first guest of honour was Terry Pratchett of Discworld fame, other guests have included Game of Thrones creator George RR Martin.