Dr. Futurity by Philip K. Dick
As I mentioned in my review of Philip K. Dick’s 1960 novel Vulcan’s Hammer, by 1959, the future Hugo winner was feeling decidedly disenchanted with science fiction in general, despite having had published some 85 short stories and half a dozen novels in that genre. The author, it seems, was still pinning his hopes on becoming a more “respectable,” mainstream writer, and had indeed already completed nine such novels: Return to Lilliput,
February 2nd, 2017. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 3.5 | Philip K. Dick | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 8 comments |
Vulcan’s Hammer by Philip K. Dick
According to Philip K. Dick authority Lawrence Sutin, in his well-researched biography Divine Invasions, by 1959, although Dick had already had some 85 short stories as well as half a dozen novels published, his interest in creating more sci-fi had reached a low point. The future Hugo winner was at this point hoping to become more of a mainstream author, having by this time already written nine such novels, none of which had been published … yet.
January 20th, 2017. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 3.5 | Philip K. Dick | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
This week’s word for Wednesday is a phrase. ‘To turn your tippet’ meant ‘to entirely change your behavior or course in life’ in 16th century English. Thanks, as always, to Haggard Hawks.
Awards:
Margaret Hamilton, a software engineer for NASA whose software guided the first lunar landing, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the USA’s highest civilian honor, this month.
The group called the Sad Puppies seem to be arguing among themselves over this year’s Hugo Awards. The Sad Puppies have always stated that they are different from the Rabid Puppies,
November 30th, 2016. Marion Deeds | World Wide Wednesday | 5 comments |
The Windsingers by Megan Lindholm
The Windsingers is the second book in a series of four featuring Ki and Vandien. It was first published in 1984. The first novel, Harpy’s Flight, which was also Lindholm’s debut, showed some serious flaws in pacing and structure but I still thought it was an interesting book. In The Windsingers, Lindholm clearly improves in those areas but she loses some of the dynamic between Ki and Vandien. In the end I did think the first novel,
September 1st, 2016. Rob Weber´s rating: 3.5 | Megan Lindholm | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Tom Swift and His Flying Lab by Victor Appleton II
What was the first science fiction novel that you ever read? For a long time, the answer to that question, for me, would have been Arthur C. Clarke’s 1953 classic Childhood’s End, which Mr. Miller, back in high school, made us all read for English class. (A very hip teacher, that Mr. Miller!) Upon further reflection, however, it has struck me that I probably read Jules Verne’s 1864 classic A Journey to the Center of the Earth back in junior high school,
August 25th, 2016. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 3.5 | Victor Appleton | Children | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
While rereading Kim Stanley Robinson‘s MARS trilogy, books I consider to be among the very best in science fiction, I came across various references to White Mars; Or, The Mind Set Free: A 21st-Century Utopia (1999) by Brian W. Aldiss, written in collaboration with prominent physicists Roger Penrose. Robinson’s utopian vision of a terraformed Red Planet is not something everybody would see as ideal or even morally acceptable. In the MARS trilogy Robinson pays a lot of attention to the discussion between what he calls the Reds,
August 12th, 2016. Rob Weber´s rating: 2 | Brian W. Aldiss | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Welcome to another Expanded Universe column where I feature essays from authors and editors of fiction, poetry, and non-fiction, as well as from established readers and reviewers. My guest today is Terry Weyna, who has been on our staff since December 2010. Terry would rather be reading than doing almost anything else. She longs to be a full-time reviewer, critic, scholar and writer, but nonetheless continues to practice law as a civil litigator in California. Terry lives in Northern California with her husband, professor emeritus and writer Fred White, the imperious but aging Cordelia Louise Cat Weyna-White,
December 11th, 2015. Kate Lechler | Expanded Universe, Giveaway! | 7 comments |
Half in Shadow by Mary Elizabeth Counselman
In my review of Jessie Douglas Kerruish‘s The Undying Monster, I warned readers away from the British publishing outfit known as Flame Tree 451, because of the company’s slapdash manner of proofreading and editing its products. But just as there are some publishers that should be avoided, there exist others whose books might be safely recommended just by virtue of the company’s imprint itself. Such a one, for me, is Arkham House,
October 30th, 2015. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 5 | Mary Elizabeth Counselman | Horror, Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 4 comments |
A few years ago, FanLit reviewer Terry Weyna eloquently sung the praises of The Strand, the pride and joy of all literate New Yorkers. I myself have spent countless hours there, browsing among the establishment’s four copious floors; it truly is a bookstore second to none. But for the sci-fi/fantasy/pulp lover, The Strand can be a bit problematic. The single section devoted to those three genres is not a large one, the wares on display seem to be a bit static from week to week, and (or is it just me?) it always seems as if the book I am looking for is at the very top of one of the store’s 10-foot-high shelves.
October 28th, 2014. Sandy Ferber | SFF Reviews | 11 comments |
Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor
What do you get if you cross Paradise Lost with Romeo and Juliet? Laini Taylor’s DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE trilogy, a story that centres on an epic war between angels and demons with a pair of star-crossed lovers caught in the middle. Only the angels and demons aren’t exactly what you’d expect. In the world of Eretz, “angels” are winged humanoids known as seraphim and the “demons” are half-human,
April 8th, 2014. Rebecca Fisher, Marion Deeds and Tadiana Jones´s rating: 4, 4.5 | Laini Taylor | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 5 comments |
Do it! One of the best things I've read in recent years.
This reminds me. I want to read Addie LaRue.
We’re in total agreement David!
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.