Click on stars to FIND REVIEWS BY RATING:
Recommended: 
Not Recommended: 
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
Much has been written about Alfred Bester’s classic 1956 SF novel The Stars My Destination (Tiger! Tiger! in the United Kingdom). According to Wikipedia, it is considered one of the best SF books of all time by many authors such as Neil Gaiman, Joe Haldeman, Samuel. R. Delany, Robert Silverberg, and William Gibson.
Predating cyberpunk by almost three decades (if you count from Gibson’s Neuromancer in 1984),
March 9th, 2015. Stuart Starosta and Kat Hooper´s rating: 5 | Alfred Bester | Audio, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 7 comments |
The Discarded Image: An Introduction to Medieval and Renaissance Literature by C.S. Lewis
To me, this might be C.S. Lewis‘ best book. I will have to cop to not really liking the NARNIA books (too allegorical, and those British schoolchildren are pretty annoying), and while I do quite like his SPACE TRILOGY, I think that Lewis was much better as a writer of academic non-fiction than he was as a fiction writer. In The Discarded Image, Lewis is able to tackle a huge subject: medieval cosmology and worldview,
March 9th, 2015. Terry Lago´s rating: 5 | C.S. Lewis | Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | no comments |
To Open the Sky by Robert Silverberg
It shouldn’t come as too great a surprise that future Grand Master Robert Silverberg dedicated 1967’s To Open the Sky to writer/editor Frederik Pohl. It was Pohl, after all, who induced Silverberg to begin writing sci-fi again on a full-time basis, after the author’s “retirement” from the field in 1959. As then-editor of “Galaxy” magazine, Pohl (who helmed the publication from 1961-’69) promised Silverberg a greater freedom in his writing, with fewer of the literary shackles that had restrained the author till then (not that anyone would have ever realized it,
February 26th, 2015. Sandy Ferber´s rating: 5 | Robert Silverberg | Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Happy Hour in Hell by Tad Williams
Happy Hour in Hell is the second novel in Tad Williams’ Bobby Dollar series. While readers might enjoy and appreciate the book more if they read The Dirty Streets of Heaven first, its sequel is one of those books that can be understood and enjoyed on its own merit, too. Happy Hour in Hell is darker than its predecessor, the world expands, Bobby Dollar is a more complex character (while never losing his humorous or cynical edge),
February 21st, 2015. Sarah Chorn´s rating: 5 | Tad Williams | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Kelly Link throws a mean sucker punch. Her latest short story collection, Get in Trouble, is calculated to get you — to draw you in under one premise, and then take you somewhere else entirely. It explores modern America through her special blend of genre-busting surrealism. Exploring various landscapes such as rural North Carolina, Florida swamps, and Southern California, Link exposes the inherent weirdness of our everyday lives. She spins out alternate realities based on the already-established facts of our existence,
February 19th, 2015. Kate Lechler´s rating: 5 | Kelly Link | Audio, Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
There’s a group of Young Adult authors — I’m thinking of Robin McKinley, Juliet Marillier, Justine Larbalestier, and a few others — who write the kind of books that snooty adults who look down on YA in Internet articles have clearly never read. These are books that don’t get made into popular movies, because most of what happens is internal to the characters.
This kind of YA has depth and resonance and significance. It shines a light on the path for young people (young women,
February 16th, 2015. Mike Reeves-McMillan´s rating: 5 | Alma Alexander | Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Dirty Streets of Heaven by Tad Williams
Tad Williams and I go way back. (Not literally, of course: If I walked up to him on the street, he wouldn’t know who I was.) He was one of the first epic fantasy authors I read and fully enjoyed. I have been an avid Tad Williams fan for years due to the high quality of his work. Understandably, I was champing at the bit to read The Dirty Streets of Heaven, an adult urban fantasy which is completely out of Williams’ epic fantasy zone.
February 11th, 2015. Sarah Chorn´s rating: 5 | Tad Williams | SFF Reviews | no comments |
In his newest work, The Sculptor, Scott McCloud explores a bevy of philosophical and pragmatic questions with regard to art, a partial listing of which might include:
February 7th, 2015. Bill Capossere and Brad Hawley´s rating: 5 | Scott McCloud | Comics | SFF Reviews | no comments |
A Different Kingdom by Paul Kearney
A Different Kingdom is a reprint of one of Paul Kearney’s first novels, first published in 1993. The good news is that this doesn’t read like an early novel in an illustrious career: it actually reads like something a well-practiced author would produce after a lot of hard work.
A Different Kingdom is set in the picturesque countryside of Ireland and the farm where Michael lives. Alongside this, perhaps on top of it or layered throughout it,
January 30th, 2015. Sarah Chorn´s rating: 5 | Paul Kearney | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Ares: Bringer of War by George O’Connor
Ares: Bringer of War is George O’Connor‘s sixth title in his OLYMPIANS series of graphic retellings of Greek myths for younger readers. Short take? I’m wondering why the Hades I don’t own the first five, an oversight I will quickly rectify. Long take below . . .
I absolutely loved this book. Beginning with its opening segment on the distinction to be made between the two gods of War in the Greek pantheon: Athena and Ares.
January 23rd, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 5 | Children, Comics | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
Thanks! These are the "easy" ones, ha!
can't wait to get to these after the usual post-end-of-term review backlog gets a little cleared up--your review and David's…
Agreed! I have loved both of these books. I wasn't as perceptive as you at guessing the true target, though,…
What a fascinating exploration of Edwige Fenech's contributions to the Giallo genre! I love how you highlighted her unique blend…
Ever since Tor.com became Reactor they seem to have been focusing increasingly less on books and more on visual media…