Planet of Death by Robert Silverberg
Planet of Death by Robert Silverberg is an enjoyable read, but it was the first story/novel I’ve read of his that was this light on theme, which for me is central to good literature. I know that exploring complex themes is also of primary concern for Silverberg because he emphasizes theme in almost all of the forty-plus stories he included in his short story collections covering the period of time before his writing Planet of Death in 1960.
June 3rd, 2014. Brad Hawley´s rating: 2.5 | Robert Silverberg | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Hellboy in Hell (Vol. 1): The Descent by Mike Mignola
I’m a huge fan of Hellboy. I love all the books and both movies. I think the character is funny and endearing and perfect in every way. I really like Mike Mignola’s art, too. So it was with great pleasure that I read Hellboy in Hell: The Descent, which is the first Hellboy book in many years both written and drawn by Mike Mignola. Though he’s continued to write many if not most of the Hellboy tales,
May 30th, 2014. Brad Hawley´s rating: 4 | Mike Mignola | Comics | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Mandala by Stuart Moore (script) and Bruce Zick (art)
Mandala is the story of Michael Patrick Murphy who has the potential to be a mythic hero, Morningstar, savior of all mankind, but often he is just Michael, a confused man, or even worse, he turns into his lower, demonic self. Borrowing a page from Michael Moorcock, author Stuart Moore has Morningstar drift from one reality to another, trying in each new plane of existence to fight the serpents and evil gods who control all humans in a post-apocalyptic world.
May 30th, 2014. Brad Hawley´s rating: 2.5 | Comics | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The 13th Immortal by Robert Silverberg
The 13th Immortal is one of Robert Silverberg’s earliest novels, and though it’s not considered one of his great works, I certainly enjoyed it thoroughly and recommend it to those who like short science fiction novels from the 1950s. It’s a post-apocalyptic story about twelve immortals who have divided most of the world among themselves into separate Empires, leaving a few other places to whoever claims them. Those few key other spaces include a mutant city, a computerized city with no human inhabitants,
May 28th, 2014. Brad Hawley´s rating: 3.5 | Robert Silverberg | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
He, She and It by Marge Piercy
He, She and It by Marge Piercy is my all-time favorite science fiction novel. Though Marge Piercy is not considered a science fiction author, this work is clearly one of science fiction, particularly in the sub-genre of cyberpunk as it was shaped by William Gibson and other writers classified as “cyberpunk.” Piercy, after writing Woman On the Edge of Time, was told that parts of that novel anticipated cyberpunk; when Piercy asked what cyberpunk was,
May 27th, 2014. Brad Hawley´s rating: 5 | Marge Piercy | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 8 comments |
The Collected Stories of Robert Silverberg Volume One: To Be Continued 1953-1958 by Robert Silverberg
Though To Be Continued: 1953-1958 is the first official volume of the definitive collection of Robert Silverberg’s short stories, it should be read after In the Beginning: Tales from the Pulp Era (1955-1959), a collection of short stories that overlaps with To Be Continued only in terms of chronology: There are absolutely no stories duplicated in the two volumes, and in To Be Continued,
May 24th, 2014. Brad Hawley´s rating: 4.5 | Robert Silverberg | Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Batman/Superman (Vol. 1): Cross World (New 52) by Greg Pak
Greg Pak’s Batman/Superman: Cross World is one of the better books in the DC New 52: This first collection of monthly issues tells the story of a young Batman and Superman meeting an older Batman and Superman from an alternate reality. Best of all for fans of Jack Kirby is that the storyline features Darkseid, the late Kirby’s great villain (who also inspired Jim Starlin’s Thanos, the evil Marvel character who will soon start making appearances in the Marvel films).
May 23rd, 2014. Brad Hawley´s rating: 4 | Comics | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Aquaman (Vol. 4): Death of a King (The New 52) by Geoff Johns
Geoff Johns, perhaps best known for his incredible nine-year run on Green Lantern, has written another winner with Aquaman: Death of a King. The company-wide reboot of all DC titles is known as the New 52, and it’s had a lukewarm reception, to put it mildly. Post-reboot, only a handful of titles have been considered exceptional, including two by Geoff Johns: His start to Aquaman and his conclusion to Green Lantern (which ended in volume three of the Green Lantern New 52 trade collections).
May 22nd, 2014. Brad Hawley´s rating: 4 | Geoff Johns | Comics | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
In the Beginning: Tales from the Pulp Era by Robert Silverberg
I’ve been enjoying reading Silverberg’s early story collections lately, and I particularly enjoy that he, like his friend Harlan Ellison in his story collections, includes not only an autobiographical introduction to the book, but also memoir pieces before every story. As a result, his collections become two books in one: part short story collection and part portrait of the artist.To be honest, I think I like both parts equally.
In the Beginning: Tales from the Pulp Era consists of sixteen stories written from 1955 to 1959.
May 19th, 2014. Brad Hawley´s rating: 4 | Robert Silverberg | Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Green Lantern Vol. 4: Dark Days (The New 52) by Robert Venditti
Venditti has one of the most difficult jobs a writer can get in writing monthly comics: Taking over a title that has just finished a long successful run by another author. Green Lantern was written by Geoff Johns from 2004-2013. And, though I’ve never been a huge Green Lantern fan, I read that series because Johns is a great writer. Because of Johns, I know enough about Green Lantern’s character to be interested in what he’s up to now,
May 16th, 2014. Brad Hawley´s rating: 3 | Comics | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
I felt just the same. The prose and character work was excellent. The larger story was unsatisfying, especially compared to…
Hmmm. I think I'll pass.
COMMENT Was I hinting that? I wasn't aware of it. But now that you mention it.... 🤔
So it sounds like you're hinting Fox may have had three or so different incomplete stories that he stitched together,…
It's hardly a private conversation, Becky. You're welcome to add your 2 cents anytime!