I promised not to buy any more books over the summer unless I ran out — alas, Memorial Day Sale at one of the best Half Price Books in the country (Austin) is a “bad” combination. I had to reduce my gigantic pile by half before I dared approach the buy counter….
I’m proud of this haul!
1. Hawksbill Station (1968), Robert Silverberg (MY REVIEW)
I’ve wanted to procure Hawksbill Station for quite a while — the premise is fantastic, five dangerous prisoners are held at Hawksbill Station located in the Cambrian era… One bizarre use of time travel! I hope Silverberg is at his best à la The World Inside and Downward to the Earth.
2. Master of Life and Death, Robert Silverberg (1957) (MY REVIEW)
I expect little more from Silverberg’s second novel than a nice pulp adventure — too bad I couldn’t procure it in its original ace double with James White’s Secret Visiters.
3. Ground Zero Man, Bob Shaw (1971) (MY REVIEW)
Richard‘s recent book reviews of a few of Bob Shaw’s novels have inspired me to procure one myself — Ground Zero Man has one of the BEST all-time covers (in my humble opinion) — naked man bowing before strange tower with a spire precariously balancing an oblongish shape with a massive red orb radiating fire… gorgeous.
4. The Quality of Mercy, D. G. Compton (1965) (MY REVIEW)
I do not have high hopes for D. G. Compton’s second novel — however, I’m always curious to read the early incarnations of a great author’s works — looking for threads and tidbits of later glory. Hopefully it’s a quick read and I won’t suffer unduly.
5. Starshine, Theodore Sturgeon (1966)
I’ve been impressed with the two Sturgeon’s novels I’ve read, The Cosmic Rape (1958) and More than Human (1953). Thus, I’m quite excited to delve into his substantial and impressive ouvre of short stories. I’ve read a few reviews of this collection that suggest that these are more juvenile in nature than some of his others…
6. A World of Difference, Robert Conquest (1955)
Robert Conquest is a famous British historian (he won the Presidential Medal of Freedom) on the Soviet Union who wrote one science fiction novel. I’d never heard of the work before and randomly grabbed it since it was inexpensive and looked interesting — I have no better rational…
7. Total Eclipse, John Brunner (1974) (MY REVIEW)
Supposedly one of Brunner’s best 70s works… I buy Brunner’s novels on sight — he’s one of my favorite sci-fi authors although he tends to be very uneven in quality.
8. Jem, Frederick Pohl (1978)
I’m not a fan of Pohl — I’m probably stepping on some toes when I say I disliked Gateway with a passion and wanted to hurl some of the sequels into a fire… It’s been a few years since that experience so I’m ready to pick up another one of Pohl’s works and try again.
9. Magellan, Colin Anderson (1970) (MY REVIEW)
My father swears that Anderson’s Magellan is quality sci-fi. I trust him (somewhat). This is Colin Anderson’s ONLY published novel.