Book Review: Valhalla: Absent Without Leave

Book Review: Valhalla: Absent Without Leave by Lee Gold Robin “Grima” Johnson didn’t die of cancer, which was something of a surprise, considering it kept coming back. But when an earthquake hit California and made the hospital she was in start to collapse, Robin rose from her bed of pain and worked to save lives.… Continue reading Book Review: Valhalla: Absent Without Leave

Book Review: World’s Best Science Fiction: Third Series

Book Review: World’s Best Science Fiction: Third Series edited by Donald A. Wollheim and Terry Carr (also printed as “World’s Best Science Fiction 1967”) The introduction to this volume of science fiction stories from 1966 mentions that there was a tendency to longer stories in the field, perhaps because many of the ideas required more… Continue reading Book Review: World’s Best Science Fiction: Third Series

Book Review: The Gambler

Book Review: The Gambler by William Krasner Ben Wulfson hasn’t been back to his home city in a while. He got called up during the war, and when he mustered out, Ben decided to operate in Miami for a while. Miami went sour after a while, and he did not have many other places to… Continue reading Book Review: The Gambler

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen The Bennet family is somewhat well off at their small estate of Longbourn–for now. But since the estate can only be inherited in the male line, and the family has five daughters with no sons, if Mr. Bennet kicks the bucket, the rest of the family will… Continue reading Book Review: Pride and Prejudice

Book Review: High Disaster

Book Review: High Disaster by Lionel Derrick Senator Harland Harrington used to be your typical Republican lawmaker. During his two terms in office, he stood for conservative family values, sensible government spending, and bringing home the bacon for his constituents in Oregon. But a man has needs. Two years ago, he hired Arlene Day to… Continue reading Book Review: High Disaster

Book Review: A Treasury of Science Fiction

Book Review: A Treasury of Science Fiction edited by Groff Conklin “A Treasury of Science Fiction” was first published as a hardback in 1948; the edition I read was the paperback reprint from 1957 which only contains eight of the original thirty stories. This was one of the first major science fiction collections, and set… Continue reading Book Review: A Treasury of Science Fiction

Book Review: Winged Mystery

Book Review: Winged Mystery by Alan Gregg The Conroy family has come into possession of a plot of land in Southern California, and they’ve decided to move there for Mrs. Conroy’s health. The three grown children of the Conroys, Mark, Alison and Reed (just out of high school) go out first to scout the place.… Continue reading Book Review: Winged Mystery

Book Review: The Case of the Bludgeoned Teacher

Book Review: The Case of the Bludgeoned Teacher by Jim Hollis Miss Celeste Aubin is the French teacher at Rainey High School. Physically, she’s very attractive, and knows how to exploit her appearance to manipulate men. Personality-wise though, she’s manipulative and grasping, and plays favorites with the students. So when she turns up dead, hit… Continue reading Book Review: The Case of the Bludgeoned Teacher

Book Review: Case File: FBI

Book Review: Case File: FBI by Mildred & Gordon Gordon, as “The Gordons” When FBI agent Zack Stewart is murdered, it’s a sure bet that it’s connected to one of the cases he was working. So it’s up to his old partner John “Rip” Ripley to take over the cases and figure out which one… Continue reading Book Review: Case File: FBI

Book Review: The Time Bender

Book Review: The Time Bender by Keith Laumer Lafayette O’Leary’s life is not exactly going well. He’s an underpaid draftsman at a small town foundry, whose diet consists largely of sardines and the cheapest grade of taffy. His entertainment is books from the library, viewed with suspicion by his nosy landlady and sponging neighbor. Tonight,… Continue reading Book Review: The Time Bender