Updates: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions No. XXVIII (Ace Doubles: Brunner, Dick, Delany, et al.)

May 1, 2012May 1, 2012 / Joachim Boaz / 15 Comments

I’m the proud new owner of four ace doubles in remarkable condition! And considering the general quality of many of the Ace doubles, I consider it quite the haul. The contents: two early pulp works (of rather dubious quality) by John Brunner (one under his pseudonym Keith Woodcott), one early Philip K. Dick novel, two early Samuel Delany novels, and an assortment of works by lesser known authors (Tom Purdom, Jack Sharkey, and Bruce W. Ronald). I will devour the Philip K. Dick and John Brunner works — yes, Brunner’s early works are terrible but I’m a Brunner completest which requires a high pain threshold for his pre-Stand On Zanzibar (1968) works.

1. Captives of the Flame/The Psionic Menace (1963), Samuel R. Delany, John Brunner (as Keith Woodcott)

(Cover by Jack Gaughan Continue reading →

Updates: (New Resource) List of Generation Ship Novels and Short Stories

April 30, 2012November 7, 2012 / Joachim Boaz / 22 Comments

I recently checked out a copy of Simone Caroti’s scholarly The Generation Starship In Science Fiction: A Critical History, 1934-2001 (2011) (amazon link) from my library — its appendix contains a wonderful list of generation starship novels and short stories (and the very first non-fiction attestations of this fascinating sci-fi concept).

I highly recommend the book for all aficionados of this particular sci-fi subgenre. Be warned, as a certain reviewer points out on amazon, it is a work of serious scholarship not a lighthearted romp projecting future developments. It is not a complete list so I’ve gone ahead and added a few (for example, White’s The Watch Below) and starred them (*). I’ve also included his chronological divisions. I’ve supplied links for the few I’ve reviewed. Also, I’ve included the list as a page in the right hand column of the main page.

If you know of any that I haven’t included or were skipped in Caroti’s study Continue reading →

Updates: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions No. XXVII (Gerrold, Panshin, Shaw, et al.)

April 24, 2012May 1, 2012 / Joachim Boaz / 10 Comments

My second to last backlog acquisitions post from Spring Break — a fruitful sci-fi hunting adventure indeed!

With my PhD Qualifying exams complete (proposal defense in months and months and months), I will actually get around to posting sci-fi art related (and perhaps get back to my film reviews) and reading my massive to read pile.

Enjoy!

1. Space Skimmer (1972), David Gerrold. Another author whom I know little about and haven’t read yet. As a Star Trek fan I know that he submitted the script that became The Trouble With Tribbles…

(Dean Ellis’ cover for Continue reading →

Updates: My Top 15 Science Fiction Novels from the 1960s

April 3, 2012June 27, 2015 / Joachim Boaz / 194 Comments

Everyone loves lists!

The 60s produced some of my favorite science fiction works. Many authors moved away from the technologic naivete of pulp sci-fi and predicted less than positive futures (overpopulation, natural disaster, etc) and attempted to instill a more literary quality to their works. I’ve cobbled together a top eleven list — I have probably forgotten a slew of amazing works that I read years ago. Also, I read majority of them before I created my blog and hence do not have reviews — I’ve included a blurb for those without reviews. I’ve linked those that do. And, as I have promised before, a review of J. G. Ballard’s masterful The Drowned World (1962) is on the way!

EDIT: Over the course of reading the comments and glancing over my bookshelves I’ve discovered how much I’d forgotten had been written in the 60s (Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, etc). As a result, I’ll put together a more comprehensive top 20 or so in the near future.

EDIT: 06/26/2015: Because my post is receiving a substantial number of new visitors, I’ve decided to add a few novels I’ve read since I made the initial list three years ago. Instead of a top 11 it’s now a top 15 in no particular order.

New additions:

Anna Kavan’s Ice (1967) — REVIEW LINK

Robert Sheckley’s Journey Beyond Tomorrow (1962) — REVIEW LINK

Josephine Saxton’s The Hieros Gamos of Sam and An Smith (1969) — REVIEW LINK

Naomi Mitchison’s Memoirs of a Spacewoman (1962) — REVIEW LINK

Feel free to list your top 11!

Original list:

1. Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner (1968) — is by far the best of the overpopulated world genre (for additional works consult my index). Brunner chronicles a dystopian future society in obsessive and awe-inspiring detail with shreds of newspapers, advertising jingles, quotations from invented books, and even current (60s) events. Be warned: low on plot, heavy on world building, experimental structure…

(Steele Savage’s cover f Continue reading →

Updates: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions No. XXVI (Malzberg + Wells + Gunn +Pohl)

March 31, 2012May 30, 2012 / Joachim Boaz / 12 Comments

A nice (varied) selection of finds….

I’ve continued to be on the lookout for Malzberg’s novels and, due to the proliferation of comments by my readers about what is his best, I’ve acquiesced and picked up a copy of his acknowledged masterpiece, Beyond Apollo (1972). I suspect it will be as good as In The Enclosure (1973).

If there is any area (besides sci-fi from the 21st century) that I haven’t read a good portion of the classics, it’s works from around the turn of the century. I have read a large swathe of Verne’s works and from beginning of the 20th century all of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter series — but, only a few of H. G. Wells’ oeuvre (The War of the Worlds and The Time Machine). So, when I came across a 60s edition of The First Men in the Moon (1901) with a nostalgic looking cover I snatched it up!

The two short story collections are unknown commodities: Frederick Pohl’s In The Problem Pit (1976) and James Gunn’s Station in Space (1958). I’ve never heard of Gunn and sort of dislike what I’ve read of Pohl so far. Regardless, both works have intriguing covers!

Enjoy!

1. Beyond Apollo, Barry Malzberg (1972)

(Don Maitz’ cover for Continue reading →

Updates: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions No. XXV (Silverberg + Dickson + Bester + et al.)

March 21, 2012July 17, 2012 / Joachim Boaz / 4 Comments

I have a substantial backlog of purchases from my “productive” book hunting Spring Break in Texas….

I’ve read Alfred Bester’s The Demolished Man (1952), which I loved, and The Stars My Destination (1956), which I mostly enjoyed, however I’ve rarely seen his short story collections in used book stores. I snatched up the gorgeous covered The Dark Side of the Earth (1956). I suspect Bester is even better at short stories than his novel length works….

The Time of the Great Freeze (1964) is considered one of Robert Silverberg’s best pulp works. On indirect advise of my friend Michael Dalke at Potpourri of Science Fiction Literature, I’ve procured more of Gordon R. Dickson’s short works… Thankfully, he hasn’t reviewed the collection The Star Road (1973) yet (I think) — we have a “rivalry.” Haha.

I’ve already reviewed the short story collection edited by Donald Wollheim, The End of the World (1956) (MY REVIEW), and highly recommend it. A few of the stories are duds but two are in my top 5 short work list. Philip K. Dick’s ‘Impostor’ (1953) alone is reason enough to track down the volume.

1. The Dark Side of the Earth (1964), Alfred Bester (MY REVIEW)

(Uncredited cover for the 1964 edition) Continue reading →

Updates: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions N. XXIV (Simak + Henderson + Pangborn + Coney)

March 14, 2012March 14, 2012 / Joachim Boaz / 15 Comments

Returning to my old haunt (Texas) conjures the normal quality science fiction haul…. Not the range of Dallas’ spectacular Half Price Books but still a nice selection.

As always, I took a few risks. I know very little about Zenna Henderson’s short stories — and the cover for the 72 edition of Holding Wonder (1971) (below) is atrocious! But she’s generally considered a worthwhile author despite the rather hokey premise of her The People series. I’m most interested in Edgar Pangborn’s A Mirror for Observers (1954) — and I promise not only because of the Richard Powers’ cover. My father disliked Simak’s Our Children’s Children (magazine 1973) so I don’t have high hopes… I’m rather ambivalent towards Simak. I enjoyed City (1954) but would never call it a masterpiece. Cemetery World (1973) was an interesting read but more in concept than delivery. Way Station (1963) didn’t deserve the Hugo award but had its moments… etc.

Michael G. Coney’s The Hero of the Downway (1973) was an impulsive buy. I know very little about the quality of his writing but was persuaded by Josh Kirby’s cover! And underground societies usually hold my interest — even if they don’t achieve the heights of David F. Galouye’s wonderful Dark Universe (1961).

Enjoy the covers! And the back cover blurbs!

1. A Mirror for Observers (1954), Edgar Pangborn

(Richard Powers’ cover Continue reading →

Updates: New Book Review Index by Rating

March 11, 2012March 11, 2012 / Joachim Boaz / 8 Comments

I’ve added a new index ordered by rating for easy navigation to my book reviews (here). This is in addition to by index by author (here). This makes my best (here) and worst science fiction book index (here) redundant and I might get rid of it at a later date. I’ll also add more themed indexes in addition to my Sci-Fi Novels about Overpopulation Index, Sci-Fi Works by Female Authors over the course of the next few weeks.

All the indexes can be found on the bar on the righthand side.

Thanks for all the fascinating comments/observations and words of encouragement. I’ve greatly enjoyed reading/reviewing and conversing!

Updates: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions N. XXIII (Farmer, Malzberg + et al.)

February 26, 2012June 20, 2012 / Joachim Boaz / 10 Comments

A while back I slogged through Philip José Farmer’s dismal To Your Scattered Bodies Go (1971) (the worst novel ever to win the Hugo Award?) and all the increasingly terrible sequels and made a solemn vow to wait a few years before I returned to his extensive oeuvre — so, against my better judgement I picked up a copy of Traitor to the Living (1973). I don’t have high hopes (but I love the cover!). I hope my two dollars were well spent.

Malzberg is shaping into my “under read/unjustly forgotten author of the year” whom I’ll showcase. Last year’s winner was the brilliant D. G. Compton (see INDEX for reviews). Fresh off Conversations (1975) and In The Enclosure (1973) I picked up a copy of Guernica Night (1975). I can’t wait!

Harold Mead’s The Bright Phoenix (1955) is yet another against the oppressive state à la Orwell’s 1984… But, I’ve found that the premise generally holds up despite frequent re-interpretations…

Greenfield’s Waters of Death (1967) should be avoided — at all cost. I’ve already written a scathing review (rant).

1. Traitor to the Living (1973), Philip José Farmer (MY REVIEW)