(Steve Crisp’s cover for the 1985 edition) 3.75/5 (Good) John Christopher’s A Wrinkle in the Skin (variant title: The Ragged Edge) (1965) is the second in my informal reading series on 50s/60s post-apocalyptic visions. Fresh off Alfred Coppel’s moody and reflective Dark December (1960), I chose one of Christopher’s works long overshadowed by his popular Tripods trilogy (1967-68)* … Continue reading Book Review: A Wrinkle in the Skin (variant title: The Ragged Edge), John Christopher (1965)
Which books/covers/authors intrigue you? Which have you read? Disliked? Enjoyed? 1. The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury (1950) From the back cover: “A MAGNIFICANCTLY ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES WHICH MASTERFULLY ENHANCES THE CLASSIC WONDER AND TERROR BY THE WORLD-RENOWNED AUTHOR OF THE ILLUSTRATED MAN RAY BRADBURY.
My “to review” pile is growing and my memory of them is fading… hence short—far less analytical—reviews. 1. The Ballad of Beta-2, Samuel R. Delany (1965) (Vincent Di Fate’s cover for the 1982 edition) 3.25/5 (Vaguely Good) As I’ve been on a generation ship kick as of late, I was excited to pull out my copy … Continue reading Short Book Reviews: Samuel R. Delany’s The Ballad of Beta-2 (1965), Barry N. Malzberg’s The Last Transaction (1977), and Philip McCutchan’s A Time for Survival (1966)
(Paul Alexander’s cover for the 1979 edition) 3/5 (Average) Garry Kilworth’s first novel, In Solitary (1977), attempts to present a morally complex take on human revolt against brutal alien conquest. A brief read, In Solitary piques interest but doesn’t manage to provide compelling backstories to beef up its analysis of the morality of revolt. Ultimately, In … Continue reading Book Review: In Solitary, Garry Kilworth (1977)
My “to review” pile is growing and my memory of them is fading… hence short—far less analytical—reviews. 1. Mindbridge, Joe Haldeman (1976) (Josh Kirby’s cover for the 1977 edition) 4.5/5 (Very Good) Nominated for the 1977 Hugo Award Joe Haldeman never struck me as an author who experimented with New Wave methods of telling. Mindbridge … Continue reading Short Book Reviews: Harry Harrison’s Captive Universe (1969), John Christopher’s The Death of Grass (1956), Nancy Kress’ An Alien Light (1987), and Joe Haldeman’s Mindbridge (1976)
1. I’m finally the owner of one of the 50s/60s post-apocalyptic novels…. I suspect the 1959 film adaptation of Nevil Shute’s On the Beach (1957), which I did not enjoy, was the reason I’ve taken so long to acquire a copy. It’ll fit neatly into my recent themed review sequence: John Christopher’s The Death of Grass (variant title: … Continue reading Updates: Recent Mostly Apocalyptic Science Fiction Acquisitions No. CCXXIX (Nevil Shute, Walter Tevis, Philip McCutchan, and Lawrence Watt-Evans)
1. Michael G. Coney is a firm blog favorite–from his deeply lyrical paean Hello Summer, Goodbye (variant title: Rax) (1975) to his off-the-wall bizarre short fictions in Friends Come in Boxes (1973). I eagerly snatched up a copy of his “ecological puzzle story” with alien shapeshifters–Syzygy (1973) (Coney’s entry in SF Encyclopedia). 2. Always love a SF water world! … Continue reading Updates: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions No. CCXXVII (Alan Dean Foster, F. M. Busby, Michael G. Coney, John Christopher)
1 and 2. As a kid, I read and adored John Christopher’s Tripod Trilogy (1967-1968). Little did I know at the time the quantity of other SF novels—mostly of the post-apocalyptical sort—published over his long career. In 2012 I read, reviewed, and enjoyed his post-apocalyptical satire The Long Winter (1962). And now, I have both his single … Continue reading Updates: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions No. CCXX (M. John Harrison + John Christopher + Ian Watson)
Science Fiction Novel and Short Story Review INDEX by Author (here) 5/5 Masterpiece The Affirmation, Christopher Priest (1981) Annihilation, Jeff VanderMeer (2014) A Funeral for the Eyes of Fire, Michael Bishop (1975) Beyond Apollo, Barry N. Malzberg (1972) Catacomb Years, Michael Bishop (1979) The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe (variant title: The Unsleeping Eye), D. G. Compton (1974) … Continue reading SF Book Review Index by Rating
Science Fiction and Other Suspect Ruminations 