book review

Lost Mars, edited by Mike Ashley This anthology is subtitled "The Golden Age of the Red Planet" and is a companion volume to the British Library's Moonrise, reviewed in my previous post. Like that book, this one includes some of the more interesting but largely forgotten SF of the past, and...

A near-perfect adventure story bolstered by a well-researched study of the occult; full of daring, cunning and romance. Dennis Wheatley writes quickly and keeps the stakes high. He masterfully balances the provision of vital information and background with stake raising in the plot game. Most...

A carnal visage of thrill-based plotting that is both fast and to the point…that being the tip of a meat hook. This tale is told from differing points of view. The story’s initial character, Frank, is wrought with hedonistic addictions that can no longer be satiated through earthly delights...

A refreshing philosophical exploration into high-concept esoteric questions draped in all the brilliant colors of science fiction. This is a tale rooted in the exploration of hubris in its broadest sense. Whatever array of the political spectrum you subscribe too, the story will speak to you...

A moody morass rallying against the gray walls of reality, in perfect tone. This book lilts like a weather-beaten gravestone, sunk in a forest cemetery littered amongst the broken fragments of classic science fiction tropes. Originality shines through in the story line and voice of the authors...

A meandering gothic tale of wormish fiends, overshadowed by a giant kite and frequent supper respites. Written just before the author’s death, many reviewers have speculated that the writing suffered horribly as a result. There are seemingly random point-of-view switches (not set off by...

Interesting concepts that provide creepy fun for the whole pod to enjoy. The author loosely develops a fascinating concept that later provided a veritable sandbox of inspirations and interpretations for years of analysis. This book has been combed over for allegorical meanings through the...

Review: "Nineteen Eighty-Four" by George Orwell (5 Stars) Ages like a fine wine with a dark, full-bodied harbinger of doom, increasing with relevance as each year goes by. What can be said about this book that has not already been said? Orwell’s despondent view of an evil utopia hits all the...

140 million leagues under the blackness of space, Jules Verne is reborn…this time with a sense of humor and irreverent references to pop culture. Through a series of journal entries, the protagonist of this story relays a first person account that chronicles the trials and tribulations of being...