Magazine Review: Analog Science Fiction and Fact June 2015 edited by Trevor Quachri Since its debut issue as Astounding Stories of Super-Science in January 1930, what would become Analog was one of the most influential, and often the most influential, science fiction magazines on the racks. After I reviewed Analog 1 (a collection of stories from when the… Continue reading Magazine Review: Analog Science Fiction and Fact June 2015
Tag: science fiction
Magazine Review: Cosmic Crime Stories July 2012
Magazine Review: Cosmic Crime Stories July 2012 edited by Tyree Campbell If you want to stand out in the crowded field of speculative fiction, one of the ways is “genre-blending,” taking two different popular genres and splicing them together. For example, horror and romance to create the vampire love stories so immensely popular in recent times.… Continue reading Magazine Review: Cosmic Crime Stories July 2012
Book Review: Analog 1.
Book Review: Analog 1 edited by John W. Campbell Astounding Science Fiction was one of the most influential science fiction magazines from the 1930s to the 1950s. But long-time editor John W. Campbell had felt for years that the title did not reflect the more mature, “hard” science fiction he preferred to run. So… Continue reading Book Review: Analog 1.
Book Review: One of Our Asteroids is Missing | The Twisted Men
Book Review: One of Our Asteroids is Missing | The Twisted Men by Robert Silverberg (writing as Calvin M. Knox) and A. E. Van Vogt, respectively. This is another Ace Double, two books in one, upside down from each other. According to Larry Niven, during the 1960s Ace Books was known for being particularly skinflint… Continue reading Book Review: One of Our Asteroids is Missing | The Twisted Men
Open Thread: Minicon 50 Report
Over the Easter weekend, I went to Minicon, the Minnesota Scientifiction Society’s yearly convention. This was the 50th convention, although not the fiftieth year, as a couple times early on it was held twice yearly. To mark the milestone, the convention ran four days instead of the usual three, and had a whole bunch of… Continue reading Open Thread: Minicon 50 Report
Anime for Speculative Fiction Fans (2015)
Once again this year I participated in the “Anime and Manga for Speculative Fiction Fans” panel at Minicon. As promised at the panel, here’s a list of the items mentioned–I make no representations regarding the quality of the ones I have not seen. .hack: A series of interlocking video games, anime, manga and light novels… Continue reading Anime for Speculative Fiction Fans (2015)
Comic Book Review: Roy Thomas Presents: Planet Comics, Vol. 1
Comic Book Review: Roy Thomas Presents: Planet Comics, Vol. 1 Comic books were still a very new thing in 1940, and the publishers were still trying to figure out what there was a market for. Science fiction themes seemed popular, so Fiction House created the pulp-inspired Planet Comics to appeal to fans of rockets and aliens.… Continue reading Comic Book Review: Roy Thomas Presents: Planet Comics, Vol. 1
Book Review: The Time Machine
Book Review: The Time Machine by H.G. Wells H.G Wells (1866-1946) was not the first science fiction author, nor even the first one to write about time travel. But he was the first writer in English to produce multiple important works in what would become the science fiction genre. The Time Machine was published in… Continue reading Book Review: The Time Machine
Book Review: The Players of Null-A
Book Review: The Players of Null-A by A.E. van Vogt (Also published as The Pawns of Null-A) Note: This book is a direct sequel to The World of Null-A and this review will spoil elements of that first novel. Like, immediately after this paragraph. With the death of the mighty Thorson, the plans of the Greatest Empire… Continue reading Book Review: The Players of Null-A
Manga Review: Bokurano (Ours)
Manga Review: Bokurano (Ours) by Mohiro Kitoh Fifteen middle-schoolers are at summer camp when they discover a seaside cave and decide to investigate. Inside, they find a man called Kokopelli, who is surrounded by electronic gear. He claims to be developing a new game where you pilot a giant robot to defend the Earth against… Continue reading Manga Review: Bokurano (Ours)