SF TV Episode Reviews: Space: 1999, episode 1, ‘Breakaway’ (1975)

May 8, 2011July 9, 2020 / Joachim Boaz / 13 Comments

Everyone! I’ve decided to start a new series of posts! An episode by episode log of my reactions (including, but not limited to rants, ravings, tangential ruminations, mutterings, and indecipherable utterances) to Space: 1999 (1975-1977). I’ve never seen the show before and don’t have very high expectations. But with 2001: A Space Odyssey inspired visuals and some 70s flare (see the hilarious costumes of the cast image below), how bad can it be? (haha). A general naïveté (on my part) Continue reading →

Book Review: The Missionaries, D. G. Compton (1972)

April 13, 2011August 1, 2011 / Joachim Boaz / 4 Comments

1/5 (Drivel)

I’m often distracted by the smell of old paperbacks — I’d like to imagine there’s a direct correlation between how much I’m distracted to how bad it is — which would make reviewing easier. Perhaps how strongly I’m compelled to write about the smell should be considered an indicator Continue reading →

A Film Rumination: It! The Terror from Beyond Space, Edward L. Cahn (1958)

March 7, 2011February 20, 2013 / Joachim Boaz / 12 Comments

5/10 (Bad — but definitely watch if you’re a B-film sci-fi fan)

I think the most important lesson I learned from the hilariously (occasionally) bad 50s sci-fi alien monster caper It! The Terror from Beyond Space is that in future female scientists and doctors still serve coffee and lunch… Continue reading →

Update: Another egregious science fiction classic movie remake in the works, When Worlds Collide

July 6, 2010November 22, 2010 / Joachim Boaz / 26 Comments

Another timeless classic, When Worlds Collide (1951) dir. Rudolph Maté, is going to be abused by another incompetent director — Stephen Sommers, who helmed the recent G. I. Joe: Rise of Cobra debacle.

Some off the cuff complaints:

1. The Continue reading →

Book Review: Three Worlds to Conquer, Poul Anderson (1964)

June 14, 2010February 6, 2017 / Joachim Boaz / 3 Comments

4/5 (Good)

Poul Anderson’s science fiction adventure tale, Three Worlds to Conquer, is a remarkably exciting and engaging quick read. Three Worlds is a “loose” sequel to Anderson’s short story, ‘Sam Hall’ published in the August 1953 edition of Astounding Science fiction. Both cover some aspect of post-WWIII Continue reading →

Book Review: Merchanter’s Luck, C. J. Cherryh, (1982)

June 10, 2010February 6, 2017 / Joachim Boaz / 2 Comments

4/5 (Good)

C. J. Cherryh’s Merchanter’s Luck is a heady brew of redemption, paranoia, fear, endless suspicion, and more paranoia. However, this work has markedly less of the seemingly-endless (and often unjustified) political manipulation that bogs down Cherryh’s more famous novels Cyteen and Downbelow Continue reading →

Book Review: Star Winds, Barrington J. Bayley (1978)

June 1, 2010August 1, 2011 / Joachim Boaz / 3 Comments

2/5 (bad)

Future Earth uses special ethereal silk (from Mars) to power wood ocean going boats across the sky. The silk is running out and the ocean going boats with canvas are going to be the next big thing. OK.

AGAIN, the draw of the “future crumbling empire fixation” (FCEF) Continue reading →

Book Review: Orphans of the Sky, Robert Heinlein (first published as a serial in Astounding Stories, 1941)

May 31, 2010March 11, 2012 / Joachim Boaz / 15 Comments

4/5 (Good)

Generation ships have always fascinated me. As a child I designed my own with predictions of social ramifications etc. for stories that never materialized except as amorphous plot-less constructs Continue reading →