Book Review: The Best of Analog

Cover art by Alex Schomburg.

Book Review: The Best of Analog edited by Ben Bova After the death of long-time editor John W. Campbell in 1971, Analog Science Fiction and Fact needed a new person at the helm. The winner of the selection process was Ben Bova (1932-2020), who intended to stay only a few years, those years winding up… Continue reading Book Review: The Best of Analog

Webtoon Review: Disenchantment Seasons 4-5

Bean and Mora get a little careless about motorcycle safety.

Webtoon Review: Disenchantment Seasons 4-5 Note: This review contains SPOILERS for Seasons 1-3. If you’re sensitive to that, you may want to check out my earlier reviews first. Quick recap: Rambunctious princess (and for a while queen) Bean and her friends, wimpy half-elf Elfo and tempter demon Luci, have gone through many adventures together in… Continue reading Webtoon Review: Disenchantment Seasons 4-5

Book Review: The Pocket Book of Adventure Stories

Book Review: The Pocket Book of Adventure Stories edited by Philip Van Doren Stern In his introduction, the editor talks about the thrill of adventure stories, how often they are churned out as cheap entertainment, and that he has selected twelve really good ones for the reader. This 1945 book was designed to be easily… Continue reading Book Review: The Pocket Book of Adventure Stories

Book Review: Great Stories from the Saturday Evening Post

This cover is by Stevan Dohanos, who often did covers for the Post, and illustrates a conversation he had with a mailman. Note the two red stars on the sleeve for twenty years' service.

Book Review: Great Stories from the Saturday Evening Post edited by Ben Hibbs For many years, the Saturday Evening Post was one of America’s most popular magazines. Every week, it would show fascinating photographs, interesting non-fiction articles and a selection of short stories and serialized fiction. With more than 200 short stories being printed in… Continue reading Book Review: Great Stories from the Saturday Evening Post

Book Review: People of the Book: A Decade of Jewish Science Fiction & Fantasy

Book Review: People of the Book: A Decade of Jewish Science Fiction & Fantasy edited by Rachel Swirsky & Sean Wallace One of the perils of reading a lot of anthologies is that you see a fair amount of overlap in stories, particularly in themed anthologies. (I include “Best of the Year” in that as… Continue reading Book Review: People of the Book: A Decade of Jewish Science Fiction & Fantasy

Manga Review: Platinum End Volume 2

Manga Review: Platinum End Volume 2 story by Tsugumi Ohba, art by Takeshi Obata Quick recap:  Up until now, Mirai has had a miserable life as an orphan with an abusive family.  When he tried to commit suicide, Mirai was rescued by Nasse, an angel who had enlisted the boy in a contest to choose… Continue reading Manga Review: Platinum End Volume 2

Manga Review: Platinum End 1

Manga Review: Platinum End 1 Story by Tsugumi Ohba, Art by Takeshi Obata Have you ever looked at the world around you and thought, “Wow, God’s not doing a very good job.”?  Perhaps you have even succumbed to hubris and thought you could do a better job if you, personally, had God’s power.  As it… Continue reading Manga Review: Platinum End 1

Book Review: Things That Are

Book Review: Things That Are by Amy Leach “The secret to crypsis is placing yourself among things you look like, but in a scene where no one will expect you, like Willie Nelson with Lithuanian peasants.” Essays are short pieces in which the author attempts to set down their thoughts.  They can be formal or… Continue reading Book Review: Things That Are

Comic Book Review: Saints: The Book of Blaise

Comic Book Review: Saints: The Book of Blaise written by Sean Lewis, art by Benjamin Mackey Disclaimer:  I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway for the purpose of this review.  No other compensation was requested or offered. “Monster” Blaise is a heavy metal musician with “one weird trick”–his glowing hands can cure throat ailments.… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Saints: The Book of Blaise

Book Review: Time Frames: A Speculative Poetry Anthology

Book Review: Time Frames: A Speculative Poetry Anthology edited by Terry A. Garey Poetry related to the various genres of speculative fiction (SF, fantasy, horror, etc.) is pretty common.  You can see samples by ones or twos in many magazines and spec-fic collections.  But full hardback anthologies of speculative poetry are rare.  So Rune Press… Continue reading Book Review: Time Frames: A Speculative Poetry Anthology