Book Review: Dangerous Visions and New Worlds edited by Andrew Nette and Iain McIntyre Subtitled “Radical Science Fiction, 1950-1985” this book is a collection of essays about how science fiction (or perhaps “speculative fiction” is a better phrase) changed and adapted to reflect the changing issues and social concerns of the Cold War period, and… Continue reading Book Review: Dangerous Visions and New Worlds
Category: Book
Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro
Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro by Edogawa Rampo Edogawa Rampo was the pen name of Hirai Tarou (1894-1965), who I last talked about as the author of The Fiend with Twenty Faces. That children’s book featured Akechi Kogoro as the Detective Boys’ adult mentor, but he was already an established series character… Continue reading Book Review: The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro
Book Review: Golden Lightning
Book Review: Golden Lightning by Max Brand (Also Published as Lightning of Gold) “Lefty” Bill Ranger is an honest man. When his partner in an Alaskan gold prospecting claim dies before Ranger can deliver the partner’s share, he refuses to take the lot and donates it to charity. This attracts the attention of Menneval, a… Continue reading Book Review: Golden Lightning
Book Review: The Fiend with Twenty Faces
Book Review: The Fiend with Twenty Faces by Edogawa Rampo The year is 1936. Japan occupies Korea and Manchukuo, and has set its sights on the rest of China. But for most Japanese civilians, war is far away. What is exciting right now is the capers of the man known as The Fiend with Twenty… Continue reading Book Review: The Fiend with Twenty Faces
Book Review: Halo in Brass
Book Review: Halo in Brass by Howard Browne (writing as John Evans) Paul PIne, private detective, is hired on a missing persons case. It seems that Laura Fremont, originally from Lincoln, Nebraska, has gone incommunicado in the big city of Chicago. Her plain rural parents are worried sick. The first obstacle pops up in that… Continue reading Book Review: Halo in Brass
Book Review: The King Who Lost America
Book Review: The King Who Lost America by Alan Lloyd I’ve reviewed more than one biography of George Washington, hero of the American Revolution and first president of the United States of America. But there was another George involved in the Revolution, King George III of Great Britain. This biography is about him. It begins… Continue reading Book Review: The King Who Lost America
Book Review: New Tales of Space and Time
Book Review: New Tales of Space and Time edited by Raymond J. Healy This 1951 anthology opens with an introduction by Anthony Boucher. In it he notes the proliferation of science fiction anthologies at the time, most of which were reprints of magazine stories. Often the same stories, over and over–not bad because they are… Continue reading Book Review: New Tales of Space and Time
Book Review: The Case of the Mythical Monkeys
Book Review: The Case of the Mythical Monkeys by Erle Stanley Gardner Working as a secretary for scandalous writer Mauvis Meade was a pretty good gig for Gladys Doyle. She didn’t ask too many questions when Mauvis asked her to take a meeting at a ski resort with a Hollywood publicist. Her boss even gave… Continue reading Book Review: The Case of the Mythical Monkeys
Book Review: Flash Gordon Book Four: Forces from the Federation
Book Review: Flash Gordon Book Four: Forces from the Federation by David Hagberg At long last, Colonel Steve “Flash” Gordon and his companions Dr. Hans Zarkov and Dale Arden are headed home in their refurbished starship, the Intrepid. They’re looking forward to briefing the Federation government about their adventures fighting the android robot warlord Martin… Continue reading Book Review: Flash Gordon Book Four: Forces from the Federation
Book Review: Catlow
Book Review: Catlow by Louis L’Amour (A)bijah Catlow and Ben Cowan grew up together, fighting together and against each other. As so often happens, their lives have taken different paths since. Ben is now a deputy U.S. Marshal, and Bijah is an outlaw rustler. Now, admittedly, Bijah was initially framed for rustling by a crooked… Continue reading Book Review: Catlow