Magazine Review: Strange Fantasy Spring 1970 “Strange Fantasy” was a short-lived reprint digest-sized magazine from Ultimate Publishing. This issue’s stories were originally published between 1959 and 1964, which somewhat belies the cover text. “The Shrine of Temptation” by Judith Merril starts us off with an anthropologist’s tale of a mysterious shrine on an isolated island.… Continue reading Magazine Review: Strange Fantasy Spring 1970
Tag: London
Movie Review: Gaslight (1940)
Movie Review: Gaslight (1940) directed by Thorold Dickinson It has been twenty years since the shocking crime at 12 Pimlico Square. Alice Barlow was murdered by an intruder, the house ripped apart in a search, and the famous Barlow rubies disappeared. All this time, the house has lain empty. But now someone has been found that… Continue reading Movie Review: Gaslight (1940)
Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine June 1953
Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine June 1953 edited by Ellery Queen Since this has floated to the top of my TBR pile, let’s look at another vintage issue of this classic mystery magazine. The cover depicting an aerialist falling to presumed death after being stuck with a dart has nothing to do with any… Continue reading Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine June 1953
Movie Review: Terror By Night
Movie Review: Terror by Night (1946) directed by Roy William Neill The Star of Rhodesia, a large diamond, has long been associated with blood and death, bringing woe to its owners and those around them ever since it was dug up. The current owner is Lady Margaret Carstairs (Mary Forbes), a formidable dowager. Her son Roland… Continue reading Movie Review: Terror By Night
Book Review: The War of the Worlds
Book Review: The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells Early in the Twentieth Century, odd flashes of light are seen on the surface of the planet Mars. This phenomenon is highly interesting to scientists, but seems irrelevant to most people going about their lives on Earth. That is, until what is initially mistaken for… Continue reading Book Review: The War of the Worlds
Magazine Review: The Shadow #60: Prince of Evil | Messenger of Death | Room 1313
Magazine Review: The Shadow #60: Prince of Evil | Messenger of Death | Room 1313 edited by Anthony Tollin There were multiple authors who operated under the house name Maxwell Grant to write the pulp magazine Shadow stories. This volume of Shadow reprints features three of them and is an interesting study in compare and… Continue reading Magazine Review: The Shadow #60: Prince of Evil | Messenger of Death | Room 1313
Book Review: Farthing
Book Review: Farthing by Jo Walton England didn’t win World War Two. In fairness, they didn’t lose either. Thanks to a coalition of wealthy nobles and businessmen, Rudolph Hess’ mission was a success, and the Axis were able to negotiate a peace settlement with Great Britain. This is generally considered a great saving of British… Continue reading Book Review: Farthing
Book Review: Great Supernatural Stories: 101 Horrifying Tales
Book Review: Great Supernatural Stories: 101 Horrifying Tales compiled by Stefan Dziemianowicz This hefty volume collects a variety of public domain stories concerning the supernatural. While the majority fall roughly into the category of horror, some are more what we’d call “dark fantasy” and a handful are just “well, that’s a weird thing that happened.”… Continue reading Book Review: Great Supernatural Stories: 101 Horrifying Tales
Manga Review: Case Closed Volumes 69-72
Manga Review: Case Closed Volumes 69-72 by Gosho Aoyama We are so far into this series, also referred to as “Detective Conan”, that anyone who’s new should see my reviews of previous volumes as anything here beyond the basic premise can be considered spoilers. Volume 69 opens with famed detective Kogoro Mouri (Richard Moore) being… Continue reading Manga Review: Case Closed Volumes 69-72
Book Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel
Book Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy It is the height of the Reign of Terror, after the fervor of the French Revolution turned from freedom to revenge. In an effort to unify the country both against outside enemies and counter-revolutionaries, the Committee of Public Safety holds trials of those suspected of acting… Continue reading Book Review: The Scarlet Pimpernel