Browsing all articles tagged with science fiction.
Neuromancer by William Gibson
As debut novels go, this one kicks arse. Written in 1984, Gibson’s cyberpunk tale was a culmination of various cult influences and pressure from a looming deadline. We’re introduced to body modifications, cybernetic implants, and ‘the matrix’ – an online information highway. Bear in mind that the World Wide Web wasn’t invented by Tim Berners-Lee […]
Rise of the Seer by Brandon Barr
Completed while the author was undergoing chemotherapy for leukemia, Brandon Barr’s Rise of the Seer captures the essence of holding onto hope when things seem dark. It’s part Game of Thrones with the political wrangling, backstabbing, and hidden conspiracies; but also part NeverEnding Story in that the main characters are driven by faith and a […]
The Island of Doctor Moreau by H. G. Wells
The late Victorian era was a time of new and dangerous ideas. The concept of evolution challenged traditional religious belief. The first few voices were questioning the politics of Empire. Ideas of hypnotism and psychology were starting to be taken seriously. H. G. Wells’ The Island of Doctor Moreau is a vivid, uncomfortable exploration of […]
Brandon Barr Interview – Song of the Worlds
Brandon Barr is a beloved figure in Indie Author circles, being an active member of several online communities and having spoken at the 20BooksTo50k® conference. He has inspired many of us as he spoke about his leukemia. His story has been one of strength and hope as he battled through two bone marrow transplants and […]
Of Lead and Plastic: Tabletop Wargaming In 2018
Wargaming and miniatures games have got a pretty bad rep in the past for being dry, intense and hard to enjoy. However, if the stereotypes were ever true, they aren’t now. Whether you’re interested in recreating the Battle of Helm’s Deep or sending a few brave adventurers into a dungeon, there’s never been a better […]
El Ministerio del Tiempo (Ministry of Time) – TV Series Review
I am a sucker for costume dramas. If a show involves somebody wearing farthingales, I will give it a try, and I’ll usually hang in there even if it’s not that great. Usually on the stationary bike, I’ll pedal along, admiring fashions, upholstery, and candelabras. I’ve watched my share of mediocre historical dramas and fantasies, […]
The Only Harmless Great Thing by Brooke Bolander
It seems that I have a thing for sentient elephants. My first experience was the excellent Downward to the Earth by Robert Silverberg. But, The Only Harmless Great Thing is much more than just sentient elephants, it’s an emotional piece of work creating a quite plausible alternate reality that makes us think about the morality […]
Black Man (a.k.a. Thirteen) by Richard Morgan
Carl Marsalis is a Variant Thirteen, a genetically-engineered throwback to a strain of human that died out thousands of years ago. He is a tough, aggressive loner, instinctively cunning and brutal, predisposed not to follow rules. Thirteens are used as elite soldiers by the government and forcibly retired to Mars, where they can be kept […]
Record of a Spaceborn Few by Becky Chambers
If you’ve not read any of the three titles by Becky Chambers, I suggest you have a little word with yourself and seek them out immediately. If you’ve not heard of Becky Chambers, then where have you been? Her first novel, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet was the first book I managed […]
Consider Phlebas by Iain M. Banks
If ever there was a case to be made for not judging a book by its cover, this is it. The cover sat before me shows the face of a planet in hues of blue. The only thing it’s safe for you to deduce is that the novel is set in space. To be honest, […]
Karen Joy Fowler Interview – We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
Karen Joy Fowler is a critically acclaimed and multi-award winning author of both literary and speculative fiction. Her work transcends genre boundaries but frequently explores issues around feminism, alienation and what it means to be human. Her debut novel, Sarah Canary (1991), follows a mysterious woman who suddenly appears in the Pacific Northwest of America […]
Orbiter 9 – Movie Review
For those that don’t know, I’m a military wife. That means I spend 3-5 nights a week sans husband. Most nights I choose to read (duh!), but every now and then I get in a movie mood. I typically browse Netflix and end up watching something random. In recent months, I’ve developed a fondness for […]
