Book Review: Mazes and Labyrinths by W.H. Matthews Humans have long been fascinated by structures that pack the maximum amount of path in a small space, and those that create a puzzle to move through to find a center or exit. This 1922 book was the first major work in English to take a thorough… Continue reading Book Review: Mazes and Labyrinths
Tag: Wales
Book Review: Among Others
Book Review: Among Others by Jo Walton It is 1979, and Morwenna Phelps is no longer blessed with a living twin. The same accident shattered her hip and leg so that she cannot run or dance, or even exist without pain. Her beloved grandfather had a stroke, and cannot care for her, and her mother… Continue reading Book Review: Among Others
Book Review: The Dark Ages
Book Review: The Dark Ages by W.P. Ker One of the first things Professor William Paton Ker (1855-1922) discusses in this book is that the term “Dark Ages” is misleading and rather nebulous in timing. That established, he sticks with it for a handy title for this survey of European literature from roughly 500-1100 A.D.… Continue reading Book Review: The Dark Ages
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
Book Review: Great Thrillers: 101 Suspenseful Tales
Book Review: Great Thrillers: 101 Suspenseful Tales compiled by Stefan Dziemianowicz The definition of “thriller” is a little loose in this fun anthology, though most of the stories do have at least some suspense. It feels more like the compiler picked a bunch of the public domain stories he liked, but didn’t have a strong… Continue reading Book Review: Great Thrillers: 101 Suspenseful Tales
Book Review: Time and Mr. Bass
Book Review: Time and Mr. Bass by Eleanor Cameron Long ago and long ago and even before that, came the Mycetians to Earth from Basidium, the Mushroom Planet. Much of their history has been lost to Deep Time, but it is known that they were stranded on this planet, and eventually wound up settling in… Continue reading Book Review: Time and Mr. Bass
Book Review: Space Opera
Book Review: Space Opera by Jack Vance It’s not that Roger Wool doesn’t want to work, as such. It’s that he doesn’t want to be tied down to a single job day after day, the same desk in the same office. And he’s too well-bred for most work that involves wandering from place to place… Continue reading Book Review: Space Opera
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
Book Review: The Year’s Greatest Science-Fiction and Fantasy Second Annual Volume
Book Review: The Year’s Greatest Science-Fiction and Fantasy Second Annual Volume edited by Judith Merril This 1957 volume contains speculative fiction stories from magazines published in roughly the previous year, hand-picked by the editor to represent the best the field had to offer at the time. (I’ve previously reviewed the fifth annual, which switched the… Continue reading Book Review: The Year’s Greatest Science-Fiction and Fantasy Second Annual Volume
Manga Review: Vinland Saga, Book Two
Manga Review: Vinland Saga, Book Two by Makoto Yukimura To recap for those of you who haven’t read the review of Book One, Vinland Saga is set in the early 12th Century, the time of the Vikings. Our protagonist is Thorfinn, son of Thors, who serves in the war band of Askeladd. Askeladd murdered Thors, and… Continue reading Manga Review: Vinland Saga, Book Two