Book Review: Herovit’s World, Barry N. Malzberg (1973)

July 24, 2013April 22, 2014 / Joachim Boaz / 14 Comments

(Charles Moll’s cover for the 1974 edition)

3.5/5 (Good)

Note: Today is Barry N. Malzberg’s birthday!

Upon reading In the Enclosure (1973) I was immediately seduced by Barry N. Malzberg’s metafictional brand of science fiction — best illustrated by his masterpieces Beyond Apollo (1972) and Revelations (1972). Although Herovit’s World (1973) contains many of the same metafictional trademarks of Malzberg’s best work, it should be noted that the novel is not science fiction and more a work about writing (pulp) science fiction. In this case, the mental collapse of a pulp writer whose life may or may not contain “true” autobiographical kernels from Malzberg’s own experience Continue reading →

Book Review: Mister Da V. and Other Stories, Kit Reed (1967)

July 19, 2013August 10, 2019 / Joachim Boaz / 5 Comments

Screen shot 2013-07-16 at 10.06.04 AM

(Uncredited cover for the 1967 edition)

4.25/5 (collated rating: Good)

Kit Reed has been publishing literary, thought-provoking, and darkly satirical sci-fi + speculative fiction + non-genre fiction since the late 50s… And she is still going strong — her most recent novel Son of Destruction (2012) came out last year. Reed’s collection Mister Da V. and Other Stories (1967) contains three stories from the late 50s including her first published work, ‘The Wait’ (variant title: ‘To be Taken to a Strange Country’) (1958) and ten others from the 60s. A few of the stories in the collection are not overtly science fiction — regardless, one could argue that all but ‘I am Through with Bus Trips’ (1967) contain speculative and/or sci-fi elements.

There are superficial differences between the 1967 Faber and Faber edition and the 1973 Berkley Medallion edition. Because I own the Berkley paperback I’ve gone ahead and followed its chronological story order and page numbers.

A few of the themes/topics of the volume: Paranoia. Post-apocalyptic Landscapes. Youth Continue reading →

Adventures in Science Fiction Cover Art: The Space Station, Part III

July 17, 2013July 18, 2013 / Joachim Boaz / 12 Comments

(Graham Kaye’s cover for the 1955 edition of Tom Swift and his Outpost in Space (1955), Victor Appleton II)

This is Part III of my series on space stations (Part I + Part II). Ever since I watched 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) as a teen I’ve been fascinated by space stations — platforms for further space exploration! I can only imagine how exciting it was for fans of science fiction who read about stations before they existed to see them finally constructed. The fact that they became reality — well, perhaps not (yet) as a launching point for space going exploration vessels — almost vindicates the scientific extrapolation of some of these early visions. Also, Arthur C. Clarke’s Islands in the Sky (1952) happened to be one of my first science fiction novels….. And C. J. Cherryh’s Downbelow Station (1981) Continue reading →

Book Review: Mortals and Monsters, Lester del Rey (1965)

July 16, 2013July 16, 2013 / Joachim Boaz / 5 Comments

(Richard Powers’ cover for the 1965 edition)

3.25/5 (collated rating: Average)

Lester del Rey’s collection Mortals and Monsters (1965) — first editions are adorned with a gorgeous collage by the superb Richard Powers — is comprised of eight short stories from the 50s and four from the early 60s. The collection, as with all but the best collections, is a mixed bag. ‘The Years Draw Nigh’ (1951) is almost a masterpiece while ‘Recessional’ (1965) is an upsetting exercise in 60s sexism despite the fascinating premise.

I found that a few of the del Rey’s shorts are some of the more blatantly sexist 50s works Continue reading →

Book Review: Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement (serialized, 1953)

July 8, 2013July 8, 2013 / Joachim Boaz / 34 Comments

(Joe Mugnaini’s cover for the 1954 edition)

3.5/5 (Good)

Hal Clement’s Mission of Gravity (1953) is generally considered one of the early classic (and most influential) novels of the hard science fiction subgenre. The care in which Clement lavishes on the fascinating world of Mesklin is manifest on virtually every page. The inherent logic of the unusual scientific properties of the planet Mesklin provides the superstructure for Clement’s development of the intelligent species that inhabits it and generates the majority of the plot. Clement, a Harvard educated astronomer, applies the (remorseless) logic of the world to almost every situation and every paragraph creating a convincing, if rather laborious Continue reading →

Adventures in Science Fiction Cover Art: The Hand of God?

June 21, 2013June 21, 2013 / Joachim Boaz / 46 Comments

(William Timmins’ cover for the January 1947 issue of Astounding Science Fiction)

A hand from a body off canvas enters the fray…. An alien’s hands wrap around the Earth, amused or disturbed by its creations? A hand rises from a variety of desolate landscapes… Is it the remnant of a robotic construct or a relics from some age old creator?

This particular theme — a powerful force depicted via an often disembodied hand — has yielded some fantastic covers. Brian Lewis’ cover for the 1958 issue of Science Fantasy is one of my favorites. I find the scene — a group of people discovering a robotic hand reaching from the f Continue reading →

Book Review: Time and Stars, Poul Anderson (1964)

June 16, 2013December 23, 2013 / Joachim Boaz / 20 Comments

(Richard Powers’ cover for the 1965 edition)

3.75/5 (collated rating: Good)

Time and Stars (1964) is a wonderful collection of short works by one of the greats, Poul Anderson. Anderson is best known for hard science fiction novels such as Tau Zero (1970) as well as fast paced pulp adventures exemplified by his Dominic Flandry (à la James Bond in space) sequence which he started in the 50s.

Only one of the six shorts in the collection was subpar — ‘Escape from Orbit’ (1962) — which did not rise above the traditional we need to rescue some stranded astronauts plot. All the others — for example, Hugo winning novella and well-told tale of a balkanized American Pacific coast ‘No Truce of Kings’ (1963), the fantastic evolved mechanical life forms in ‘Epilogue’ (1962), and the wit of ‘The Critique of Impure Reason’ (1962) — make the collection worthwhile for fans of classic science fiction (and obviously, fans of Poul Anderson). The novella ‘Epilogue’ is the best of Anderson’s works Continue reading →

Updates: Recent Science Fiction Acquisitions No. LXVI (Anderson + Simak + Ballard)

June 5, 2013July 24, 2013 / Joachim Boaz / 21 Comments

Gifts! From my fiancé!

Four more wonderful books… I can’t wait to read J. G. Ballard’s The Burning World (1964) and Poul Anderson’s short story collection Time and Stars (1964)… Ballard is a genius and Anderson is a solid writer who always produced fun plot-driven works (I suspect his Hugo nominated There Will Be Time (1973) will be similar). Also, despite my general frustration with Clifford D. Simak’s ouvre, I’m intrigued by Why Call Them Back From Heaven? (1967)….

Enjoy the two Powers covers!

1. The Burning World, J. G. Ballard (1964)

(Richard Powers’ cover for the 1964 first edition) Continue reading →

Book Review: Profundis, Richard Cowper (1979)

May 30, 2013May 30, 2013 / Joachim Boaz / 4 Comments

(Don Maitz’s cover for the 1981 edition)

3.75/5 (Good)

Richard Cowper’s science fiction (and fantasy) was recommended to me by 2theD over at Potpourri of Science Fiction Literature (be sure to follow him!). But ever since I procured a copy of Profundis (1979) more than a year ago, I’ve passed over it when searching for my next read — perhaps due to the silly “Three Kinky Kittens, talented sexboats with uninhibiting charms” blurb on the back cover (“uninhibiting” isn’t even a word) in addition to Don Maitz’s uninteresting 80s cover art… Tangent: Maitz drew the pirate for the Captain Morgan Rum brand.

However, Profundis proved to be a highly involving science fiction parable set in a post-apocalyptical Continue reading →