A number of literary works from some of my favorite authors are celebrating their quasquicentennial, or 125th anniversary, this year. Released in 1898 were H. G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, Henry James’ novella “The Turn of the Screw,” Jules Verne’s The Mighty Orinoco, and H. Rider Haggard’s Doctor Therne. Those first two titles,
September 11th, 2023. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 4.5 | Ernest G. Henham | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | no comments |
We welcome a new guest reviewer: Michaela Hausmann.
The Sundering Flood by William Morris
The Sundering Flood (1897) is the last fantasy romance by William Morris. Unfinished during his lifetime, the romance was published posthumously by his daughter May Morris. It relates the trials and tribulations of the young hero Osberne and his female friend and future lover Elfhild. Although both are separated from each other by an impassable river (the eponymous Sundering Flood), they can communicate with each other across the water and form a close bond.
July 16th, 2019. Michaela Hausmann´s rating: 4 | William Morris | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 8 comments |
It’s Gothic, intricate, romantic, tragic, fun and surprising. I haven’t read Bram Stoker‘s original Dracula in about 20 years and most of the details I’d either forgotten or had been smudged, smeared, and overwritten by a lifetime of modern vampire stories and myths.
Dracula is set in the late 19th century and is presented through a series of letters, memos and recordings between numerous characters who, through no fault of their own, become entangled in Dracula’s plot to move away from his rapidly dwindling (and more “vampire-aware”) food supply in Romania to the hip and crowded urban life of London.
July 15th, 2016. Jason Golomb´s rating: 5 | Bram Stoker | Horror, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Elissa & Black Heart and White Heart by H. Rider Haggard
Editor’s note: Because they are in the public domain, both Elissa and Black Heart and White Heart are available for free on Kindle. To find them, click on the Kindle covers in this review.
The H. Rider Haggard novels Elissa and Black Heart and White Heart are usually to be found (when they can be found at all) together in a single volume,
January 27th, 2015. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 4 | H. Rider Haggard | Free! | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells
“It was the beginning of the rout of civilization, of the massacre of mankind.”
H.G. Wells’ earliest novels had a major impact on science fiction. The War of the Worlds, first serialized in Pearson’s Magazine in 1897 and published in novel form in 1898, is one of our earliest examples of the First Contact theme. In Wells’ story several spaceships from Mars land in England, creating vast craters. At first the English are either amused or indifferent until Martians pop out and start terrorizing them with heat rays,
June 28th, 2013. Kat Hooper and Stuart Starosta´s rating: 4 | H.G. Wells | Audio, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 6 comments |
Thanks for the kind words, Steve! And I am very envious of that first edition!
Dang it, I missed out because the giveaway notification subscription *still* isn't working, and you stopped posting Thoughtful Thursday giveaways…
A very informed review. I am pleasantly in possession (right word?) of a Macmillan 1912 1st edition and just read…
I have sent an email to the sonic address. Thank you and have a great week!
John, I access Bluesky on my PC. Since you are the ONLY comment, you win the giveaway. Please contact me…