A fast read, at half the length of DUNE. At times I was connecting with the story and at times I felt I was cast aside as a reader by an author chasinA fast read, at half the length of DUNE. At times I was connecting with the story and at times I felt I was cast aside as a reader by an author chasing his own tail. I don't know if that makes much sense. I genuinely had no idea where the story would go, which is a good thing. But I also felt that I was left out of much of the story in the process. I didn't have a real sense of Arrakis that was so vivid in the first novel. Also, the jihad mentioned here seemed strangely bloodless in spite of the vast numbers those killed during it. I felt disconnected from it. I will say the ending picked up but the climax lacked the action that a pulp novel requires. Still, there was enough here in Book 2 to lure me into pursuing the 3rd book. So...not as good as the first one, but not bad either. ...more
More July Sci-Fi in the scorching southwest desert heat. This book is like a cool can of beer in that it goes down easy on a hot July afternoon. I've More July Sci-Fi in the scorching southwest desert heat. This book is like a cool can of beer in that it goes down easy on a hot July afternoon. I've had this old ACE paperback for a number of years just sitting on a shelf. I know I've read the first one "The Beast-Jewel of Mars" before. Published in 1948 in PLANET STORIES Magazine it and "Mars Minus Bisha" are the earliest two stories in this slim collection. The latest story being from 1964. So you're talking the good-old-stuff here. All of the stories are set in Mars, each with years given for a loose timeline to connect them.
"I do not know of Earth," he answered courteously. "But on Mars man has always said 'I reason, I am above the beasts because I reason.' And he has always been very proud of himself because he could reason. It is the mark of his humanity. Being convinced that reason operates automatically within him he orders his life and his government upon emotion and superstition."
Earthmen, in these stories, seems to perpetually come to a sad reckoning between his Earth-born ego and ambitions against the ancient lost and dwindling civilizations of the Martians. You can draw your own meanings from what Leigh Brackett may have been trying to say in these stories, or you can enjoy them as they were written, stellar examples of planetary adventures. If stories like these are written anymore, I haven't been able to find them in current science fiction digests. Maybe it's just me (and it probably is) but I find current science fiction short stories mostly unreadable. The simple adventure and wonder that writers like Leigh Brackett were so good at is mostly extinct. ...more
More July sci-fi in the ungodly heat of the desert. Beam me up already! After all these years I've finally read an E.E. Doc Smith novel. It's my firstMore July sci-fi in the ungodly heat of the desert. Beam me up already! After all these years I've finally read an E.E. Doc Smith novel. It's my first and probably my last. It just doesn't work for me, and I love pulpy-ass sci-fi. But man, I had a tough time getting into this one. It's just too loony and too wacky too much "hold on to your hats!" and gee whiz stuff going on all up in the house. But credit where credit is due, Doc Smith did lay down the earliest example of "space opera" that became all the "Star Wars", "Battlestar Galactica", "Star Trek", you name it adventures in science fiction that pulls in the fans every summer at the theaters. Or used to anyway. I haven't been to a Star Wars movie since 1984 so don't ask me, Pops. Plot is delivered in what reads like rapid-fire dialog you'd hear in an old flick about cops and reporters from the early 30s. Nothing wrong with that. I loved those old movies when I was a nerdy kid in the 70s, watching them late at night on my small black 'n white TV. "Start talking! It's yer nickle, Jake!, don't bother with Chick, he's got a snoot-full of hootch!" But now, a little of that stuff goes a long way, and by the 3 quarter mark I was skimming to the end. This would have been something I would have liked when I was a kid. Now it's just kid stuff....more
More Sci-fi in the scorching heat of July. This is how you do Science Fiction. A novel of ideas and questions and challenges. A book that, but for a fMore Sci-fi in the scorching heat of July. This is how you do Science Fiction. A novel of ideas and questions and challenges. A book that, but for a few moments, feels timeless. Reading it makes you feel hopeful and sad. Hopeful that mankind can do better and live up to its best instincts yet sad because that's not likely given our choice to succumb to "prejudices and superstitions" that one of the Overlords in the novel says "will take decades to eradicate."
If only decades. How nice to think so. Centuries is more like it. Briefly the plot depicts a race of aliens who contact Earth during the later part of the 20th Century. They promise that they bring no harm, that through their guidance Mankind will live in a Golden Age where of no wars, no violence, no oppression will be inflicted on us. We'll have Utopia. There are just a few demands, one of them being that we will not use atomic weapons against each other. Another that we shall not harm animals. Small sacrifices on our part for a huge gain in return. But why won't the Overlords, as they are referred to, reveal themselves. We're not yet ready, we're told. Yes, the Overlords do eventually show themselves. And the relationship between mankind, Earth, and the Overlords changes. Man no longer has to work. Education is for everyone. There are no limits to our potential but...yet another demand is made that has far deeper ramifications.
I don't want to give away any plot spoilers in this book. If you've never read it and are a fan of "vintage" science fiction I give it the highest recommendation. Reading it I thought of what Utopia, or a "Golden Age" might mean. How would we as a race deal with it? Would religions become obsolete? Probably not. What about having the world's education and enlightenment available to everyone? One could propose that we're almost there now with technology. Suppose you have knowledge available now, there but for the effort of a few taps on a keyboard? Instead of enlightenment we turn to conspiracies and lies. We give away our own potential to the loudest voices with the cheapest promises. Is mankind always destined to sell itself out so easily? It appears that way. What is different about the world now, 70 plus years removed, from the world as it existed when this book was written? Does history live only in the past, or is it buried unconsciously within us. Does time have a meaning? Does the Universe have a soul?
Many things to wonder about, which is what the best science fiction does. ...more
Faithfully reproduced, shining as steady and serene from the walls of the stellarium as did their originals from the black deeps of space, the mirroreFaithfully reproduced, shining as steady and serene from the walls of the stellarium as did their originals from the black deeps of space, the mirrored stars looked down on him. Light after jeweled light, scattered in careless beautiful splendor across the simulacrum sky, the countless suns lay before him-before him, over him, under him, behind him, in every direction from him. He hung alone in the center of the stellar universe.
More July sci-fi in the desert heat. Here is another "novel" that's made up of two pulp stories originally printed in 1941 in ASTOUNDING magazine. I'm really hit-and-miss with Heinlein. I think his stories are good but some of his attitudes are often pretty distasteful. These two stories make a slim novel that can be read in a single long afternoon. They both contain the sense of wonder that I look for in vintage pulp science fiction. It's one of the earliest "multi-generational ship" stories I can think of, about a Proxima Centauri Expedition launched by the Jordan Foundation hurtling through space, while its inhabitants inside have long forgotten their mission, their purpose and their true environment. To them the ship is their universe. As each generations pass, they develop their own religion, traditions, myths and legends. But like any society, corruption simmers beneath the surface. There are interesting and thought provoking ideas. And enough action to keep things from getting boring. I liked that aspect of this book. The downside however is the attitudes Heinlein often seems to let slip. Women are clearly 2nd class citizens in this expedition. They have no purpose but to cook, procreate and keep house for the males in this claustrophobic "universe" they inhabit. Any outburst from them often leads to the back of the hand from our square-jawed heroes. It's like the ship is manned by the original "He-Man-Woman-Haters" Club. This made me wonder about the original purpose of the expedition itself. Surely, but the time society had the means and technology to build a starship you'd think that the female half of the human race were allowed to contribute something besides a hot meal and a clean house. Which leads to further questions. Why was it launched? How were the passengers picked? Were different cultures and religions and races chosen, or was it all an early 20th Century white American male centered expedition. Did Heinlein consider that when writing these stories, or was the depiction of the "muties" in it sufficient for him. What sort of psychological requirements were required for selection? Why should a well-chosen team of learned passengers regress into superstitions and tribalism? Lots of questions.
I always try to read vintage fiction with the understanding that my modern sensibilities and attitudes are misplaced in judging historical writers. Still, with Heinlein, I don't think I'm being unfair. He's a writer of great ideas, but the finished product often leaves a bitter aftertaste. So, the 3 stars are for the fairly accurate science and wonder of its time, which was really cool. And for its historical importance. I can recommend it to fans but with a "but...."...more
Summertime escapism into 1930s era pulp sci-fi! This "novel" is made up of 2 stories "Dawn of Flame" published in THRILLING WONDER STORIES in 1939 andSummertime escapism into 1930s era pulp sci-fi! This "novel" is made up of 2 stories "Dawn of Flame" published in THRILLING WONDER STORIES in 1939 and "The Black Flame" published in STARTLING STORIES in 1939. Both stories are set in the far-flung future, as they like to say, after the planet Earth succumbed to atomic and biological warfare. Societies are mostly agrarian and scattered across the states among the remnants of highways and cities. Out of what's left of New Orleans is a community lead by Joaquim Smith, his sister Margaret (the titular Black Flame, or Black Margot) and Martin Sair, all three of whom, through the wonders of science and radiation, are immortal. Joaquim Smith's mission is to conquer the scattered towns and villages and form a single empire over which he'd be the ultimate ruler. His sister, Margaret, rides by his side as a ruthless warrior, earning notoriety for her cruelty, leaving men tortured and ruined in her wake. So with this set-up, we need a couple of square-jawed heroes to spurn Black Margot's advances while remaining faithful to their simple village girlfriends. It's all melodramatic and full of heightened emotion, with declarations of love or death throughout. I would have eaten this book up whole as a kid, succumbing to all of its romance and wonder. Now as a somewhat jaded and cynical adult I enjoyed it for being a fast-paced adventure soaked in faulty science and innocent romance. If you're a fan of high pulp adventure there is a lot to like in this novel. But yes, it's old fashioned and outdated. There are some repetitive scenes and motivations by its characters that push credulity. But that's pulp for you. They don't write them like this anymore. If you accept it for what it is, it's a fun read on long hot summer day. ...more
So this is the very first Star Trek novel I've ever read. It took me long enough, I guess. I used to have the paperback episode collections from the oSo this is the very first Star Trek novel I've ever read. It took me long enough, I guess. I used to have the paperback episode collections from the original series when I was a kid and liked those. I found this one in a neighborhood book box on a recent trip to Seattle, so I decided to read it. I liked the first half more than the 2nd half, and thought it was, for the most part, very much like an episode you might have gotten in the original series. A cosmic imp of sorts traps the Enterprise, a Klingon ship and a Romulan ship in a sort of space bubble and challenges them to solve a dilemma for him. I thought about space travel while reading the book and that no one needs any sleep in these adventures. And that Kirk was really quick to put the moves on a young female guest of his ship. I already forgot her name though. I bet Kirk did too by the time they finished this assignment. ...more
Keith Laumer is one of those perennial names you find in the sci-fi shelves of used bookstores here in the states. I may have checked a book or two ofKeith Laumer is one of those perennial names you find in the sci-fi shelves of used bookstores here in the states. I may have checked a book or two of his out from the library when I was a kid but I can't swear to it. This slim paperback came across my desk from a charity book sale that my wife volunteers for. Knowing I'm a fan of vintage science fiction she asked if it would be something I'd be interested in. It contains 6 stories from 1967 (that story "Test to Destruction" from DANGEROUS VISIONS) to 1970. The stories originally appeared in ANALOG (formerly ASTOUNDING, if it matters) and GALAXY, with the exception of the "Test" for the Harlan Ellison anthology. The stories range from okay to not so okay. They were written during the "new age" era of science fiction, but do not fall into that category. "In the Queue" was a good opener, a psychological study of conforming to rigid discipline. The next story "A Relic of War" is about an ancient war machine that sits rusting in the center of a small town. It's become something of a mascot for the locals, until a government agent comes to "decommission" it. It was okay. Laumer was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and this story and others here come under the military sci-fi umbrella. The title story of the collection "The Big Show" was a struggle to get through. It felt like another lame attempt at being zany that some writers feel they have to do which for me never works. It was all over the map and made no sense and I kept looking to see how many pages were left to go in it. "Message to an Alien" returns to military sci-fi about a deceptive "invasion" and a gung-ho warhawk. It was another one that was just okay. By the penultimate story in the collection "The Plague", a story about socialism vs rugged individualism that reminded me of a plot you'd find in a western, I realized what what missing in the book. That's a depiction of inner struggle, inner conflict. The characters are presented with a situation and respond to it and the story is over. There was never a sense of emotional reconciling to be determined. Only the 1st story "In the Queue" had anything coming close to an interior struggle with external conflict. The last story, "Test to Destruction" was one I read years ago when I read DANGEROUS VISIONS but I don't remember it. I'll read it again and when I finish it this paperback will go back into the charity sale for someone else to find. Ultimately, it's a 2.5 star collection that didn't give me any of that old sense of wonder I look for in old science fiction. I doubt I'll be bringing home any other books by Laumer from any used bookstores out there. Those that may be left, that is. ...more
Four (long) short stories fixed up and presented as a novel about a family of immortals whose blood is a priceless commodity to a society seeking a "fFour (long) short stories fixed up and presented as a novel about a family of immortals whose blood is a priceless commodity to a society seeking a "fountain of youth." These stories were published in the fifties and show a country that decays as the book progresses. At one point, one of the protagonists wonders who would choose immortality in a world like this. Interesting depiction of a broken society where health is only for the wealthy. I like dystopian stories from the good old days of science fiction, and I mostly liked these stories. The prose style was sometimes awkward in that I had to reread passages to understand what was happening, or who was doing what. Pulpy action moves things along. Nice and cynical. ...more
A week ago I was talked into going to a craft fair in the just north of the Melrose district in Central Phoenix. While there I strolled into a vendor'A week ago I was talked into going to a craft fair in the just north of the Melrose district in Central Phoenix. While there I strolled into a vendor's tent to look at his collection of books and dvds he had for sale. Typically I walk right past this kind of booth because more often than not it's books like Chicken Soup for the Soul and movies like Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. But this guy had a bunch of low-brow genre type stuff (horror and science fiction) that I have a finely tuned radar for. On his table was this book, with it's cover depicting a laser-blasting robot shooting down spaceships with a city in flames in the background. The price was $2. I'm a complete sucker for books like this. The nice thing about this anthology is that it's not the same stories you'll find in dozens of other science fiction anthologies out there. No Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, etc. None of the usual go-tos in old collections. Here was a selection of deeper cuts than typically found. And this was the era of science fiction stories that I was first exposed to as a kid checking out old sci-fi anthologies from the library. This particular anthology was published in 1979, twenty years after the latest story, "Adrift on the Policy Level" by Chan Davis" was published. The common themes to these stories are conformity, cold war hysteria, post-nuclear holocaust and a fear of the outsider. The common enemy is our own worst instincts. These are stories were written approximately 15 years before the "new-age" trend of science fiction that I tried (and mostly failed) to read as a teenager. The collection here still aimed for the sense-of-wonder that I always looked for in a sci-fi story. They can be cynical, and a fair number of the stories here are cynical, but they still aimed to entertain the reader despite the downer themes. A few months ago a free copy of a current "year's best" science fiction and fantasy anthology came into my possession. I gave it a good try but gave up. These modern year's best stories were unreadable. Something has shifted in publishing tastes and trends in the sci-fi short story market and all the sense of wonder has been erased. I know it's a sweeping statement and arguably an unfair observation, but I wasn't keeping that modern Year's Best anthology. I guess that's got nothing to do with this particular book, except that for several hours this past week I got to feel some of that old thrill and wonder again reading these vintage stories. This is probably my last October Halloween Season review. I wanted to get to more creepy old stuff to read and share but life gets in the way. ...more
"And you believed it," Ames replied, his voice hard. "You believed it because you wanted to believe it. You wanted to believe in magic - in a miracle "And you believed it," Ames replied, his voice hard. "You believed it because you wanted to believe it. You wanted to believe in magic - in a miracle with no price - but there isn't any such thing! There is only science, and experimentation, and a lot of failure before you find success. And there's always a price, Collins." His voice dropped slightly and a cold smile twisted his lips. "Do you really think the lives of a few boys are too high a price for what TarrenTech and I have given this town?"
Ah, yes. Mad scientist stuff here. Science run amok! Turning regular teenage boys into human beasts that crush opposing football teams and, okay yeah, maybe maim and kill a few people along the way. That's what you've got here in this late 80s novel from John Saul. It's not exactly horror and it's not exactly science fiction. It's more a YA and Lifetime than a horror novel. Nothing gory here. 80s high school opera. Not bad, not great. It took a long time for anything really to happen, then it happens fast. Another vintage book for the October season. ...more
Best known for ROGUE MOON this book collects some of Algis Budrys's stories from the later half of the 50s. Budrys's characters are not typical AsimovBest known for ROGUE MOON this book collects some of Algis Budrys's stories from the later half of the 50s. Budrys's characters are not typical Asimov or Heinlein hero archetypes but rather they tend to be flawed and cynical. It's as though they've stepped out of a film noir playing to a half empty theater and wandered into an old ASTOUNDING magazine. They smoke, drink, lust and look at the world with a dose of fatal pessimism. It sounds like they'd be great stories but they're a mixed bag. I liked most of them. But they're dated as any science fiction story from the 50s would be. But some have ideas about bigotry and racism and human nature that make them interesting for a fan of vintage science fiction. ...more
Good villains, long book. I liked much of it, but it was too long. I started reading it back in March and finished it in late August. I did enjoy the Good villains, long book. I liked much of it, but it was too long. I started reading it back in March and finished it in late August. I did enjoy the clear shots he takes at certain groups of Americans. A fishbowl (dome) is a good place to watch them all follow their nature to just and unjust conclusions. That said, I think I'm one of those readers who prefer King's short stories and short novels over the long ones. But when he's hitting the gas, few are better. ...more
Fast moving novel about a generation starship. Various "tribes" inhabit the different levels of a starship. To most, this is the only universe they knFast moving novel about a generation starship. Various "tribes" inhabit the different levels of a starship. To most, this is the only universe they know. Various legends about Giants and Outsiders permeate their religions and cultures. They eke out lives with no idea they're traveling in a manmade ship through space. That is until one hunter from the Greene tribe goes on a quest with four other misfits, including a preacher armed with an ancient plan of the ship, through various levels to meet the Forwards. The Forwards have essentially isolated themselves from the rest of the tribes, yet they just might hold the key to finding the purpose of their voyage. Published in the late 50s, this is Aldiss's first novel and has a fair amount of surprises to keep the reader engaged. I've had this book for years and only now have gotten around to reading it. Published also under the name Non-Stop. Recommended for vintage science fiction fans. Cool stuff!...more
This took me nearly the whole month of July to read. You can see the other reviews and understand it's a dense block of hard space opera that could haThis took me nearly the whole month of July to read. You can see the other reviews and understand it's a dense block of hard space opera that could have used a sharper scalpel in the editing process. But that's really the only critique I have. I liked the book. The setting aboard the immense "gothic cathedral" monstrosity of the space ship Nostalgia for Infinity was pretty cool. The science was fascinating. The mystery was intriguing. The characters sometimes got a tad melodramatic but it's Space OPERA so there you go. Most importantly, to me and what I look for in a science fiction novel, is that sense of wonder that I got from those pulpy old anthologies I read in the library as a kid. This book had that too. So four stars from me. I'll read its sequel Chasm City at some point before I forget everything that happened in this one....more
JDM wrote only 2 science fiction novels in spite of having written a couple dozen science fiction stories for the pulps. This is one of his earliest nJDM wrote only 2 science fiction novels in spite of having written a couple dozen science fiction stories for the pulps. This is one of his earliest novels, published in 1950. In his afterward, written in the mid-70s he prefers to label this work as "science-fantasy" rather than science fiction. I thought the book as enjoyable as almost all of his books are. It's a good page-turner, well paced and never boring. Maybe the actual "science" in the book, with regards to space travel and time/space leaps is a bit wonky, but I don't care about that stuff so much with older novels. I'm hardly a scientist and many heavy scientific concepts often fly right over my head. It's more the ideas behind the book that I thought were thoughtful and appealing. The usual JDM sociological concerns are here: commercialization of the masses, homogenization of society, truth to power and the inertia of corruption are addressed. That sounds like a lot for a novel written to entertain. But JDM always knew how to keep the plot moving. I'll likely get around to his only other sci-fi novel, Ballroom in the Skies, at some point. ...more
So, for no good reason other than it's hot outside in Phoenix, I decided to read science fiction books in July. I'm only familiar with Clifford D. SimSo, for no good reason other than it's hot outside in Phoenix, I decided to read science fiction books in July. I'm only familiar with Clifford D. Simak from a handful of short stories I'd read as a kid in various science fiction anthologies. I remember liking his stories. This book has been wading around my various assortment of cheap paperbacks for years now so it was time to read it. Well...I guess I was expecting a bit more pulp than I got. It's a lot of philosophy and religion and sociology circa 1950. It wasn't bad, but it was kind of boring. A lot of stuff happens with our main protagonist, Asher Sutton, but it always feels like it just happens to him without his active participation. He's surrounded by various people and androids pursuing conflicting agendas and plots but he's mostly nothing more than a passenger in their exploits. He's really important to them all, that much is clear. There are a handful of times he asks what's going on. Same question I started asking around the 100 page mark. There is time travel, space travel, androids, time paradoxes, war, politics and all the typical neato tropes I want in a science fiction book, but it all seemed too passive. Also, the main story takes place 4000 years in the future, but everyone still reads physical newspapers and consult physical files from filing cabinets, etc. They still use mid 20th century slang, they still reference things like Humpty Dumpty. 4000 years from now seems way too far in the future for anyone to remember Humpty Dumpty. Ah what the hell, maybe it's me. I guess I just wanted more opera with my space than I got here....more
Um...well, much of the novel is a really cool and twisted time travel adventure that goes into all the crazy time travel paradoxes that sci-fi fans loUm...well, much of the novel is a really cool and twisted time travel adventure that goes into all the crazy time travel paradoxes that sci-fi fans love. There is a lot of Byzantine Empire history throughout, mostly because our hero, Jud Elliot, is an expert in that field. Jud lands himself a job as a time courier who takes tourists back in time to witness historical events. Time travel is the thing in 2059. Tour guides shunt tour groups "up the line" (into the past) to experience history first hand. But it's a risky endeavor. All kinds of things can go wrong. And Jud's new at his job and has a lot to learn about the ins and outs of time travel. The thing is, most of the other time couriers Jud learns from are into varying degrees of larceny and lust. Most of them get their kicks from going back in time and having sex with famous historical figures. It's all illegal of course, but since when has that stopped anyone? Okay, Jud can get into that. But then there is one courier who is into having sex with his own distant ancestors. He convinces Jud there's nothing like it. Here's where the novel gets twisted. Having sex with Theodora (wife of emperor Justinian) is one thing, but sex with your great, great, great, multi-great grandmother...um yeah. I'm not sure how well this novel would be received by today's publishers and readers. It was published in 1969 when attitudes were a hell of a lot different than now. I'm sure some reviewers now would just label it porn and pitch it into the can. But it's Robert Silverberg and the plot zings along at a furious pace. I liked it. I think I can recommend it to anyone who can appreciate that they don't write 'em like this anymore. ...more
Oh my gosh this was long. It was good, but it was long. Probably best to (re)familiarize yourself with the Iliad if you want to get the most out of itOh my gosh this was long. It was good, but it was long. Probably best to (re)familiarize yourself with the Iliad if you want to get the most out of it. I'm on the fence about reading the sequel anytime soon....more
I really enjoyed parts of it. But then I didn't like other parts so much. Russ's style of writing here kept me off balance at times and maybe that wasI really enjoyed parts of it. But then I didn't like other parts so much. Russ's style of writing here kept me off balance at times and maybe that was the intent. Also, the field of science fiction at the time this was published was far more comfortable being experimental then perhaps it's been since. But I can't swear to that, since I haven't read much sci-fi of more recent vintage. Briefly, here is a Nebula nominated "pulp" novel from 1968. A short novel; my edition is an old Ace paperback that would have nicely paired with another sci-fi adventure in an old ACE Double. Here is a book that gives the pulp adventure a 180 by having a female as the lead hardboiled badass. Alyx is plucked from her world by the Trans-Temporal Agency and is assigned to protect and lead a group of tourists to safety on a frozen "paradise" planet in the midst of a "commercial" war. Again, the story is pretty cool, but the style of writing kept tossing curve balls at me, forcing me to go back and reread passages for clarity. But a lot of New Wave science fiction is like that. I seem to recall Alyx was also featured in a couple of stories from the old ORBIT anthologies back in the 60s and 70s. Recommended for any science fiction fan....more
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