I read this for a fantasy/sci-fi book club a friend started. It made me think of something a firend in college commented about some book I now forget:I read this for a fantasy/sci-fi book club a friend started. It made me think of something a firend in college commented about some book I now forget: "it was good to have read, but not good to read."
It's definitely important in the history of science fiction and fantasy as one of the earlier novels in the genre, and as an early feminist work. But there is a lot that seems sort of cringey (the authoress brings herself into the novel, and is not shy about how great she thinks herself). The long tangents on "natural philosophy" are sometimes fascinating and sometimes boring as hell. It is amazing to think how much was unknown in Cavendish time, and her theories are no worse than anything else being bandied about at the time.
So it's unlike anything else I can think of. There's barely a narrative, and Cavendish picks odd things to describe in detail while other tihngs completely unexplained -- for example, we get two descriptions of the empress' formal attire, but no explanation about what most the stange inhabitants of the blazing world look like (fly-men, spider-men, worm-men, various bird-men, and more). But, at under 100 pages, it is short enough to mostly hold the attention. I did enjoy some of the bashing of philosophers and the odd hatred of telescopes, and the description of the procedure for maintaining eternal youth will no doubt stay with me forever as one of the more horrifying ideas I've seen....more
An early collection of Davidson's stories. They are a mix of science fiction and fantasy, from an era where the two genres were less segregated. Many An early collection of Davidson's stories. They are a mix of science fiction and fantasy, from an era where the two genres were less segregated. Many are quite funny, some are incredibly dark, and all have Davidson's characteristic twist endings. The stories are presented in approximate chronological order, and there is a bit of an arc from conventional mid-century sci-fi to Davidson's more recognizable, and quirky, voice....more
The conclusion to the Riverworld trilogy (except that there are number of additional short stories that were published later), this tries to wrap everThe conclusion to the Riverworld trilogy (except that there are number of additional short stories that were published later), this tries to wrap everything up and answer the fundamental questions about what the hell Riverworld was all about. Though the author has his reasons for dragging things out to show some more about the central characters -- Richard Francis Burton, Samuel Clemens, and Hermann Goering -- I felt like a lot of the second and third books were redundant. The mystery is solved in a somewhat rushed manner toward the end, and it is a little unsatisfying given all the build up. It sort of feels like the conclusion/explanation was contrived just in time to finish the story. Still, Farmer's characters are mostly excellently realized, and even with my qualms about some of the armchair philosophy and repetition, I was completely immersed in the Riverworld while it lasted....more
Philip Jose Farmer always has pretty interesting ideas in his stories, even when the execution is not great. But this novel -- the first in the RiverwPhilip Jose Farmer always has pretty interesting ideas in his stories, even when the execution is not great. But this novel -- the first in the Riverworld series -- is also well done in terms of creating characters, motivation, and dialogue, areas that are usually his Achilles' heel. The central conceit of the series is that for some reason, every human (& near-human) that ever lived on Earth up until 2008 is resurrected on a mysterious planet that seems to consist of an endless, narrow river valley coiling around it. The valley walls are impenetrably high so the only choice is to travel along the river or stay put on its banks. A strange technology supplies food, recreational drugs, and very simple tools. It doesn't take long for some groups to begin exploiting others, instituting war and slavery. The heroes -- or rather protagonists -- of the first novel are a motley crew consisting of Sir Richard F. Burton, a modern anthropologist, a holocaust survivor, Alice Liddel (the inspriation for the Alice of Wonderland), a neanderthal, and assorted others. They build a boat to explore the river and eventually run into a territory ruled by an unholy alliance of Nazis and ancient Romans. Apart from the struggles to communicate and get along despite vast cultural differences, to create tools and shelter in a world seemingly devoid of metal, and to survive contact of others groups, the greater mystery of why this is all happening at all and what the plan is behind the Riverworld. I first heard of the series in the early 1990s when a game supplement for GURPS based on the setting was published, but it's taken me several years to find all the books in the series once I decided to check it out (which again is a reason I avoid series). As light entertainment, this is a great read so far. I just started the next book, which starts with Samuel Clemens and a crew of Vikings sailing the River in search of iron....more
I'm not much of a comics guy anymore, and this was probably not an ideal title for me, since it is a) DC and b) a sequel to some other series. But it I'm not much of a comics guy anymore, and this was probably not an ideal title for me, since it is a) DC and b) a sequel to some other series. But it is presented as something that can stand on its own merits -- it is a volume 1, after all -- and the truth is it is a mess. The story is pretty hard to follow, since it does very little to explain who the characters are, and the art is stylized to the point that I had keep flipping back to figure out who was who based on the colors of their costumes. The plot is some nonsense about a device that will wipe out all the native life on the planet to make an earth-like set of flora and fauna, though it is never clear if that includes the humans who have taken refuge on the planet. Honestly the only really clever idea was having apair of suns, one red and one yellow, orbiting the planet so that Superman and (I think) Supergirl are only super-powered part pf the time. I slogged through and never really cared which side won. Maybe this one made sense to people who read the first series or something.
*I won a free copy of this through the Goodreads "first reads" giveaways*...more
Meh. Some funny bits, and the style is fine, but the story didn't really grab me. I admire the attempt to combine genres and make this outlandish settMeh. Some funny bits, and the style is fine, but the story didn't really grab me. I admire the attempt to combine genres and make this outlandish setting work, but the narrator is so unsympathetic it's hard to care. I wanted to rate it a little better but the fact that I never made time to finish this book should be an indicator that's not great. Not terrible, but nothing I'd recommend either. I would certainly check out other books by the author, but I'm probably done with this series....more
I think this may have been the first adult sci-fi books I ever read, but I read in 5th or 6th grade so I don't really remember much about it now apartI think this may have been the first adult sci-fi books I ever read, but I read in 5th or 6th grade so I don't really remember much about it now apart from there being a lot of lesbian sex scenes and the story was about a future society where there were no men, but one is created through genetic engineering or something and upsets the entire society. Hmm, maybe it was not really an adult novel then but more of a teenage boy's fantasy? Maybe I'll track this down again....more
This novella is kind of dark -- a boy lives with his deeply unhappy mother and dangerously obsessive father in the aftermath of something like a civilThis novella is kind of dark -- a boy lives with his deeply unhappy mother and dangerously obsessive father in the aftermath of something like a civil war which caused the near collapse of society. But there are still towns and occupations even if most technology is broken beyond repair and people subsist mainly through farming, scavenging, and hunting. The boy -- our narrator -- tells of traumatic events in his life and how he came to be an apprentice census-taker. We never quite get the whole picture of what is going on. We know his father makes keys, which seem to have some kind of power, real or perceived, magical or technological. We know that there is a limited government still overseeing some judicial and law-enforcement powers, but it is clearly far removed and relied on local deputies (in the story, a window-washer, a teacher, and a hunter). But this is very far removed from your traditional science fiction that would relish describing the workings of an imagined society or recounting an alternate history. Instead we have little more than a child's confused impressions of the wider world mixed with the suspenseful tale of a murder that may or may not have happened and the boy's efforts to run away and live with other orphaned children who squat in the nearby town, hunting bats and stealing. The story ends, with a certain amount of resolution but very little certainty. It's worth checking out. I read an ARC (advance reader's copy) which I assume will be be pretty close to the final version to be published this winter. After being pretty disappointed with Mieville's previous book -- a collection of short stories -- I'm coming to think he's just better at longer-form storytelling....more
Decided to read this because it was an early Hugo award winner. Like most of Leiber's work, it is fairly light reading but filled with clever turns ofDecided to read this because it was an early Hugo award winner. Like most of Leiber's work, it is fairly light reading but filled with clever turns of phrase, interesting characters, and clever ideas. ...more
Cormac Mcarthy's The Road, by way of Thundarr the Barbarian and Stephen King's The stand.
That's a pretty flip synopsis but bear in mind I actually lovCormac Mcarthy's The Road, by way of Thundarr the Barbarian and Stephen King's The stand.
That's a pretty flip synopsis but bear in mind I actually love all those things, and really liked this book too. It's a great pastiche but doesn't quite achieve the greatness of any of the influences it had.
It's a post-apocalyptic quest story, with a couple of twists: the action is divided between our travelling protagonists and the the people they left behind in the prison-like "Sanctuary," and the quest is very loosely patterned on the Lewis & Clark expedition. The author's unrelentingly dismal view of human nature, the brutal ends met by the more sympathetic characters, and the hellish landscape of an America devastated by nuclear war, plague, and climate change all make for a pretty depressing story. However the well-written action sequences (it is more often a thriller than a science-fiction story really) and conflicted characters keep you engaged enough to want to see their mission through. The final chapters seem a bit rushed after the languid travel sequences and all the build-up of tension regarding the situation in the Sanctuary, but the loose ends are mostly tidied up. I think the author wanted to explore some really dark themes, but didn't quite have anything new to say and let some of them peter out. Instead we get a little heavy-handed Christian allegory. If you liked Cormac Mcarthy's The Road, but wanted a little more action and less cannibalism, this might be your book. The other odd thing was that the author was apparently influenced by comic books and/or the Gamma World game, because radiation is treated like a magical force that can give people super-powers. Not that there's anything wrong with science fantasy, but most post-apocalyptic stories choose between gritty reality and adventure fantasy, whereas Percy just flits from one to the other, and leaves this reader a little disappointed that he couldn't quite go full steam ahead in either direction. On the other hand that mixture is pretty unusual and made for a fun read....more
These stories were selected by Anderson himself, though he admits that some choices were suggested to him by critics. He tried to choose stories and nThese stories were selected by Anderson himself, though he admits that some choices were suggested to him by critics. He tried to choose stories and novelas that have not been extensively reprinted in other anthologies, which is nice, and he also hoped that they portray his full range as a stylist and a range of modes of science fiction. I think he succeeds. We have hard science fiction, visionary fantasies, and near-future dystopias.
The Longest Voyage -- This is about as close as you can get to a archetypal Poul Anderson story, as it combines a lot of his recurring themes (high tech vs. “primitives”, the triumph of the human spirit, the collapse of civilization, conflicts without clear “good guys” and “bad guys”, and more). The Barbarian -- Still pretty funny, this is a spoof of the pulp sword-and-sorcery genre that takes aim at RE Howard’s Conan and his many imitations. The Last of the Deliverers -- Although dated as satire of the Cold War, this story is pretty detailed sketch of a scenario Poul Anderson often pondered: a development of civilization that rejects dependence on technology, and values simplicity and communitarianism over convenience and profit. My Object All Sublime -- Anderson loved twist endings as much as anyone, and here he uses a time-travel tale to deliver an unexpected twist. Time travel always lends itself to twist endings, ut Anderson chooses to avoid the obvious paradox or branching timelines angles and instead makes it something else entirely. Sam Hall -- The narrator works for an oppressive government and uses his privileged access to the information system to ignite a revolution. It has aged surprisingly well, considering that it is a a story about computer hacking written in the 1950s. Kyrie -- A very odd, but compelling, story about human-alien interactions, space-time, and the nature of love. For someone who totally disavows any literary pretense, Anderson writes literary science fiction as well as anyone. The Fatal Fulfillment -- A fun story that the reader can puzzle out before the “twist” ending arrives. Hiding Place -- A clever science fiction tale featuring one of Anderson’s recurring characters, Nicholas Van Rijn, and a sort of mystery. The Sky People -- Yet another of Anderson’s strange visions of a future society -- or in this case three societies that have evolved in a wasted, resource-depleted Earth some time after the fall of our current civilization. Ambassadors from a relatively advanced culture descended from the Maori visit a feudal civilization in Mexico just as the Shy People -- ruthless pirates -- attack their city. Anderson depicts savagery that must have been fairly shocking the 1950s when this was written, but the twist ending is somewhat shocking by any standard. ...more
De Camp is always pretty solid, and this collection of some of his stories (plus one famous essay about how English might change over the coming centuDe Camp is always pretty solid, and this collection of some of his stories (plus one famous essay about how English might change over the coming centuries) is pretty good. My favorites would be "The Command" and "Hyperpilosity" (two very early sci-fi pieces) and "The emperor's fan" and "Two yards of dragon," two later fantasy tales. "Hyperpilosity" is a satirical story, perhaps most interesting because De Camp describes a prion-based disease long before prions were even known to exist. "The command" features a convincingly depicted nonhuman protagonist, but to say more would be a bit of a spoiler. "The emperor's fan" is about a magical fan that can cause people to disappear, and how it an absent-minded, somewhat incompetent emperor misuses it. "Two yards of dragon" is a very clever romance about a squire on a quest to slay a dragon, but who completely disregards chivalry and the conventions of such stories. The other stories are mostly pretty good, but a few drag on too long....more
After a nuclear war destroys most of the country, a few civilized enclaves exist on the margins of the vast waste called the "deadlands". Our affable After a nuclear war destroys most of the country, a few civilized enclaves exist on the margins of the vast waste called the "deadlands". Our affable narrator is a deadlander -- a survivor driven by the constant, irresistible urge to murder other people. We follow along as he spends a few days in the company of some other deadlanders in a simple adventure that tests his ability to trust others. Will he murder, or be murdered by, Alice, a cryptic murderer with one hand, or Pops, an elderly deadlander who claims to have given up murder? Leiber's witty banter, unusual vision of a post-apocalyptic world, and casual violence make this a very enjoyable read.
I actually listened to, rather than read, this one, and the LibriVox recording was exceptionally well done by a reader who captures Leiber's dark humor very well....more
A clever time-travel story which focuses on the political and economic ramifications of a time machine. The characters and plot are sketched somewhat A clever time-travel story which focuses on the political and economic ramifications of a time machine. The characters and plot are sketched somewhat thinly (this is really a long short story or short novella) but the whole is well executed and entertaining. ...more
Lester Del Rey is one of the authors I pretty much always enjoy. Although I don't always have a lot of patience with the unflagging optimism of some sLester Del Rey is one of the authors I pretty much always enjoy. Although I don't always have a lot of patience with the unflagging optimism of some sic-fi writers of the early to mid 20th century, Del Rey always manages to transcend the genre, with a lot of clever ideas and humor. This story falls into the science-fantasy genre, I guess, because the protagonist is drawn into a parallel world where magic is real and works according to strictly logical rules. Aleister Crowley would probably approve of the theory of magic that is slowly revealed.
The plot is pretty much exactly what the title says: in this magical world, the sky is falling down. The universe of this world pretty much follows the archaic/occult ideas of astrology, alchemy, and so forth. The sky is a dome, with fixed stars and a relatively tiny sun (3 miles wide and 1000 miles up). Apart from the hazard posed by chunks of falling sky, the disruption to the movement of heavenly bodies also causes magic to begin to fail, as the astrological conjunctions and correspondences that fuel the science of magic are being ruined. A struggle erupts between those who want to repair the sky (and maintain the current world-order) and those who believe the cracking dome is in fact an egg-shell, and hope for a new world to emerge when this one "hatches".
Del Rey dos a great job of making his bizarre world seem coherent and even logical, despite the strange goings-on.
The LibriVox recording I listened to was particularly well done, though I can really understand why this book would be in the public domain. ...more
A pulp science fiction story that is imaginative but boring. The author does a creditable job describing the terraforming gone wrong that creates a plA pulp science fiction story that is imaginative but boring. The author does a creditable job describing the terraforming gone wrong that creates a planet filled with giant insects and fungi, where the descendants of shipwrecked starfarers struggle to survive with no resources, prey to giant manitses, spiders, etc. A band of them are led by the protagonist to a better life in a very 1950s optimistic sci-fi manner. ...more
I stumbled across this on archive.org, and while it was not exactly riveting, it was entertaining. The story is about a shipwrecked sailor who finds himself on an island with a trap-filled castle. He has a few companions -- another sailor, a cat, a bearded hag, and a mute native -- most of whom are killed by the various traps.
The Victorian prose is a little rough, and the narrator is somewhat repetitive, but the idea for the story is pretty original. ...more
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