Book Review: A South Dakota Country School Experience

Book Review: A South Dakota Country School Experience by William E. Lass By happy coincidence, shortly after finishing my review of a school book used in South Dakota country schools, I have found a book about being a student in one of those schools. Mr. Lass is a historian who attended eight grades at Emmett… Continue reading Book Review: A South Dakota Country School Experience

Book Review: The Curious Case of the Jeweled Alicorn

Book Review: The Curious Case of the Jeweled Alicorn by Michael Merriam. We open in media res, as Arkady Bloom’s assignation with Countess Moretti takes a dangerous turn.  It seems that in addition to being a minor court poet, Bloom is also an agent of the Crown’s Supernatural Intervention Agency, and the Countess has stolen the… Continue reading Book Review: The Curious Case of the Jeweled Alicorn

Book Review: Murder at the Feast of Rejoicing

Book Review: Murder at the Feast of Rejoicing by Lynda S. Robinson Lord Meren wanted two things from his trip home to his estate at Baht.  First, to enjoy some rest and relaxation with his children, far from the politics and dangers of the court.  And also to complete a secret task for his friend… Continue reading Book Review: Murder at the Feast of Rejoicing

Book Review: In the South Dakota Country

Book Review: In the South Dakota Country by Effie Florence Putney This is a history of South Dakota written for grade school children in the 1920s, when the frontier days were still in living memory.  (Indeed, my mother was educated in a one-room schoolhouse some years later.)  This was before Mount Rushmore and Wall Drug,… Continue reading Book Review: In the South Dakota Country

Book Review: Danger in the Dark

Book Review: Danger in the Dark by L. Ron Hubbard Yes, it’s another of those L. Ron Hubbard reprints; thanks, discount bin! This time, we have three fantasy stories, none of which have anything to do with the cover.  (It’s actually illustrating “Returned from Hell” by Steve Fisher.) “Danger in the Dark” is set in… Continue reading Book Review: Danger in the Dark

Book Review: Galaxy of Ghouls

Book Review: Galaxy of Ghouls edited by Judith Merril October is scary stuff season, so let’s look at a book of creepy tales.  This collection of 16 “science-fantasy” stories is themed around various monsters, from the classic to the out-there. We open with “Wolves Don’t Cry” by Bruce Elliott, turning the traditional werewolf story upside… Continue reading Book Review: Galaxy of Ghouls

Book Review: The Hugo Winners Volume 5 1980-1982

Book Review: The Hugo Winners Volume 5 1980-1982 edited by Isaac Asimov The Hugo Awards are given out every year by the membership of the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon.)  This series of books from 1986 collected the winners in the three short fiction categories: Novella  (17,500-40,000 words), Novelette (7,500-17,500 words) and Short Story (less… Continue reading Book Review: The Hugo Winners Volume 5 1980-1982

Book Review: The Cavaliers of Death

Book Review: The Cavaliers of Death by Rosita Forbes Lois Gilmour is a pretty nineteen-year-old and ready to be a bit independent, so she is less than thrilled when her father Charles, a wealthy importer, has arranged her marriage to middle-aged Philip Wingate, a man with a sinister reputation.   It’s especially irksome, as the… Continue reading Book Review: The Cavaliers of Death

Book Review: The Great Secret

Book Review: The Great Secret by L. Ron Hubbard This is another in the line of Galaxy Press reprints of L. Ron Hubbard’s pulp magazine stories.  As always, the physical presentation is excellent.  This time, we have four short science fiction stories.  The cover doesn’t actually apply to any of them. “The Great Secret” is… Continue reading Book Review: The Great Secret

Book Review: Bring Back Yesterday|The Trouble with Tycho

Book Review: Bring Back Yesterday | The Trouble with Tycho by A. Bertram Chandler and Clifford Simak, respectively. This is another Ace Double, two short novels printed upside down from each other.  Very nostalgic. Bring Back Yesterday stars John Petersen, a merchant ship’s second mate.  Or he was, until he decided to have a night of… Continue reading Book Review: Bring Back Yesterday|The Trouble with Tycho