RETRO REVIEW—MORE THAN HUMAN
The book More Than Human is over 70 years old. In it, Theodore “Ted” Sturgeon posits that a superhuman “Homo gestaltus” can supersede us ordinary people. Is it possible? Steve remains skeptical, but the book’s a winner!
“SPOOK”TOBER – 31 DAYS OF SCARY MOVIES!
In probably his longest column ever, Steve talks about the movies (and a TV show or two) that he watched every night this month in preparation for a spooky, isolated Halloween!
AMAZING NEWS: 9/29/19 – SPECIAL ALMOST A PALINDROME DATE EDITION
Captain Future; female heroes in space; three black holes colliding; FTL being taken seriously, Dan Simmons screed; Elon Musk builds a silo; Kay Tarrant, George Lucas, Greta Thunberg, Boston Dynamics, Spider-Man and, believe it or not – more!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN MICRO REVIEWS
Steve’s second Halloween column this month, in which he tries to do teeny-tiny reviews of 27 movies. Let us know if he succeeds or falls flat on his face.
TIME ENOUGH FOR HEINLEIN—RAH, S/F, AND SEX!
Steve looks at Robert A. Heinlein’s SF (and his use of nudity and sex in his SF) then touches on some other classic SF authors’ way of “doing it.” Is Heinlein still worth reading? See for yourself!
REVIEW: NOV/DEC F&SF—AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Instead of a Festivus Tree, for his last column of 2016, Steve offers a review of the last Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction of 2016, and best wishes for 2017, or whatever the new year will be in YOUR reality.
ACE DOUBLES and AMAZING ILLUSTRATORS PART II (Redux)
For the last of his NaNoWriMo “redux“ columns, Steve finishes his look at Ace Doubles cover illustrators. Nostalgia, indeed! Good old stuff from the Good Old Days!
ACE Doubles and Cover Illustrators Part One (Redux)
Continuing his retro-look at some older columns, Steve talks about Ace Doubles and their cover art. We’re talking about The Good Old Stuff, in both writing and SF illustration. Get Some Now!
REALLY “REACHING”—Jack Reacher is NOT SF/F! (Book Review)
Steve wonders whether the non-SF/F series about Jack Reacher, by Lee Child, could actually be an “underground” SF/F series. Hmmm.
Hugo Award by the Numbers Part 4
Since 1966, the average length of Hugo nominated novels has more than doubled…
Con Report: CAPCLAVE 2013!!!
While I’ve been reading SF for ages, I haven’t participated much in the fandom aspects of the genre. I’ve only been to one other convention and I only made it for a single afternoon. Needless to say, three days seemed like a marathon.
A Science Fiction Timeline: Yesterday and Tomorrow
A timeline of the development of science fiction, from one fan’s viewpoint.
Interview with Award-Winning Editor Ellen Datlow
For more than 30 years, Ellen has edited speculative fiction with a discerning eye, helping to shape the stories and authors we all love to read.
Interview with SFWA Grand Master Frederik Pohl
Today we are joined by Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) Grand Master Frederik Pohl. Frederik was one of those wild-eyed youths who through force of will and determination spread science fiction across […]
Interview with Science Fiction Legend Ben Bova
Today we are joined by science fiction legend Dr. Ben Bova. Ben has served as an editor of both Analog Science Fact & Fiction and Omni magazines. He has written over 120 books of fiction […]
Marooned off Vesta by Isaac Asimov
Marooned off Vesta was Asimov’s first published story, appearing in the March 1939 issue of Amazing Stories. The story, and the story behind the story, is an example of man’s will and determination to to never give up.
No. 18 – C.J. Cherryh, The Faded Sun, and a World Building Ethos.
No. 18 – 2013Jun02 – C.J. Cherryh, The Faded Sun, and a World Building Ethos. The next time you look into the night sky, try finding the asteroid, 77185 Cherryh. Admittedly, it’s not an easy […]
Electrons for Everyone
As I sit wandering the internet for fresh tidbits of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, I find them flourishing everywhere. Perhaps flourishing is not the right word. Flourishing leads me to images of well-manicured flower […]
NORVELL W. PAGE: WAN TENGRI – PRESTER JOHN
While Fritz Leiber was creating a boisterous style of Sword & Sorcery based upon E. R. Eddison and James Branch Cabell, Norvell W. Page wrote two novels that seem on the surface to be closer […]
FRITZ LEIBER: SWORD & SORCERY GROWS UP
In 1939 Farnsworth Wright began a move away from Sword & Sorcery. With Robert E. Howard dead, he no longer championed the dark fantasy tale, publishing Henry Kuttner’s Elak as the last. This meant that […]
NOT QUITE SWORD & SORCERY: EARLY FANTASY
Robert E. Howard may have invented Sword & Sorcery with the first King Kull tale, but he was not the only author working with the raw materials of heroic fantasy. We have already mentioned C. […]
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