Tag: SF
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The Colour of Magic
Review: I really wanted to like this. But I just couldn’t get into it. It’s schlocky 80s comic-fantasy. You know one thing: a troll is about to kill the protagonist but then gets asked why and then delivers a monologue about how life as a troll is hard and how he’s misunderstood, etc. That would… Read more
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Dark Matter: Reading The Bones
Review: Excellent! A collection of SF stories by African-American writers involving the unique experiences of the African diaspora. SF, as in Speculative Fiction, not limited to what one thinks of as science fiction. Most were myth or alternative history tales. Lots of SF that involved voodoo characters, most notably Papa Legba. Remember him from Gibson’s… Read more
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Deepsix
Review: This was good. The first two parts were excellent. The third not so much. Well written, engaging and the characters were easy to identify with. The third part, Skyhook, blew through my suspension of disbelief. Completely implausible and unconvincing. Despite that, on the whole a very good read, well worth the time. This book… Read more
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Worlds That Weren’t
Review: 4 authors in fair Verona where we lay our scene… Sorry, had to be done. Harry Turtledove (noted Twitter anti-Trumper), S.M. Stirling, Mary Gentle, Walter Jon Williams. All What if? tales of alternate history. All excellent and all writers can either excel or really, not excel. Not a lot of middle ground in this… Read more
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The Science Fiction Hall of Fame Volume 1
Review: Before the Hugo and Nebula Awards came into being there was the Hall of Fame. The Science Fiction Writers of America Association decided to pick the 25 best short stories from 1929 to the current year of 1964. Thus, all these stories were picked by the writers of the best SF at the time… Read more
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An Alien Heat
Review: If they are brief, I usually read the acknowledgements at the front of a book. This one was to some dudes, and the members of Hawkwind, and a chap named Lemmy. Yes. That. Lemmy! Turns out before forming Motörhead Lemmy was in a psychedelic band called Hawkwind. With Michael Moorcock! He was a musician… Read more
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Red Planet Blues
Review: Page 326. This book should have ended right there. Instead of bashing ahead for another 99 pages. The premise was forced, but due to the brilliance of the author he made it work. Humorous, fast-paced, edgy, this was an excellent novel. Just needed an editor is all I am saying. One of the things… Read more
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The Drowned World
Review: A very good book. Very good. Short, dark, nervous, sweltering. Reminiscent of Conrad. Think Heart of Darkness or Almayer’s Folly. The atmosphere is oppressive, like in a swamp on the hottest of days. The real joy in this book comes from the feelings and mood, rather than the action. The action is quite attenuated,… Read more
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Mash Up: Stories Inspired by Famous First Lines
Review: What a great, unique concept. Take a famous first line from a classic novel and base an SF story on it. Some great authors and some great submissions. Some. Not all. Gardner Dozois is one of the finest editors of anthologies ever, but in any collection you’re going to get a range of material.… Read more
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The Flight of the Horse
Review: A collection of time travel themed short stories. I don’t really dig time travel stories and yet… these were no exception. It’s all been done, the paradoxes explored and presented in more ways than an obi clue in a crossword. But. The last two novellas were not time travel and were excellent. “Flash Crowd”… Read more