Previous SFF Author: Alyson Noel
Modern Fantasy: The 100 Best Novels, 1946-1987 by David Pringle
Note: You may also be interested in Stuart’s reviews of:
Science Fiction: The 101 Best Novels, 1985-2010.
Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels, 1949-1984.
Following on the success of 1985’s Science Fiction: 100 Best Novels, An English-Language Selection, 1949-1984, it made sense that David Pringle would tackle the wide-ranging and ill-defined field of fantasy with Modern Fantasy: The 100 Best Novels,
February 2nd, 2016. Stuart Starosta´s rating: 5 | Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | 11 comments |
Pratchett’s Women by Tansy Rayner Roberts
I discovered something about myself by reading Pratchett’s Women, which is always a worthwhile thing. What I discovered was that, although I rejoice greatly at the presence of strong female characters in a book, I don’t necessarily notice their absence as much. Now that I’m aware, hopefully that won’t be true so much.
Tansy Rayner Roberts, herself an award-winning fantasy author, analyses most (but not all) of Terry Pratchett‘s books from a feminist perspective,
January 7th, 2016. Mike Reeves-McMillan | Terry Pratchett | Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
The Hunt for Vulcan: How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe by Thomas Levenson
With recently-demoted-from-the-planetary-ranks Pluto in the news lately thanks to the New Horizons probe, it’s a good time to recall when the solar system, rather than shrinking, used to be larger by one planet. That would be the planet Vulcan, which for decades was listed as lying just inside the orbit of Mercury. Why did people think Vulcan existed? More interestingly perhaps, why did so many people think they actually saw it?
November 27th, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4.5 | Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
I have just finished reading Haruki Murakami’s What I Talk About When I Talk About Running for the fifth time. I love this book, and although I wouldn’t say it’s the greatest book ever written, it may be my favorite book ever written.
At the title suggests, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is a series of essays and memoirs, mostly centering on running.
November 18th, 2015. Ryan Skardal´s rating: 5 | Haruki Murakami | Edge, Non-fiction, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 9 comments |
On the Origin of Superheroes: From the Big Bang to Action Comics No. 1. by Chris Gavaler
When most people discuss the origin of the superhero, they typically start with Action Comics 1 and the introduction of Superman. Some might go back a few years to characters like Doc Savage, quickly naming a few pulp heroes along with Doc, but then they too dive almost immediately into that same issue with Superman lifting the car. Where most people begin, however, is where Chris Gaveler ends in his in-depth look at the long road that led to Action Comics 1 and the universe it spawned.
November 2nd, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4 | Comics, Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Science of the Magical: From the Holy Grail to Love Potions to Superpowers by Matt Kaplan
I was wholly intrigued by the idea behind Matt Kaplan’s Science of the Magical — an attempt to lift the thick veil of myth and see if any of its typical magical elements (elixirs of immortality, love potions, oracles, etc.) might have any basis in reality. To be honest, I ended up a bit disappointed, finding the premise stronger than the execution, but Kaplan’s charmingly breezy voice and his willingness to dive right into his exploration went a good way to ameliorate my disappointment in the substance.
October 22nd, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 3.5 | Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Resurrection Science: Conservation, De-extinction and the Precarious Future of Wild Things by M.R. O’Connor
We’ve seen a number of books lately dealing with what has been called the “sixth extinction,” referring to the ongoing mass extinction event, and ways in which we might deal with the crisis. Elizabeth Kolbert’s forthrightly named The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History and Beth Shapiro’s How to Clone a Mammoth: The Science of De-extinction are two excellent examples of such titles (I’d also include,
September 23rd, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4.5 | Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Distrust That Particular Flavor by William Gibson
Distrust That Particular Flavor is William Gibson’s non-fiction compilation album. These entries, which are arranged neither chronologically nor thematically, touch on a variety of subjects, ranging from Japanese culture to Steely Dan to how recent technologies will evolve.
Gibson begins the work explaining how he learned to write fiction. He further admits that many of his non-fiction works were done primarily because Wired and other publications offered to fly him abroad if he’d comment on his experiences.
August 20th, 2015. Ryan Skardal´s rating: 4 | William Gibson | Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Bending Steel: Modernity and the American Superhero by Aldo J. Regaldo
Bending Steel: Modernity and the American Superhero, by Aldo J. Regaldo, is another entry in the getting-crowded field of cultural analysis of superheroes/comics. I can’t say Regaldo offers a lot that is new here, especially in some of the examinations of specific well-plumbed comics, but Bending Steel still has a lot to offer as it is a well-organized, clearly and often sharply written exploration of the topic with lucid,
August 12th, 2015. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4 | Comics, Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
A Tolkien Bestiary by David Day
David Day’s A Tolkien Bestiary may be the greatest companion book ever. Even if it’s not, it’s still my favorite. Day provides an overview of people, places, races, and Middle Earth’s history. Although Day explains why he refers to the work as a bestiary, I usually think of it as an awesome encyclopedia.
In A Tolkien Bestiary, readers can lose themselves for hours at a time. I have encountered this book in many places — classrooms,
August 3rd, 2015. Ryan Skardal´s rating: 5 | J.R.R. Tolkien | Non-fiction | SFF Reviews | 7 comments |
Previous SFF Author: Alyson Noel
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!
If the state of the arts puzzles you, and you wonder why so many novels are "retellings" and formulaic rework,…
I picked my copy up last week and I can't wait to finish my current book and get started! I…
Gentlemen, I concur! (Forgive me for jumping into your convo)