-
Archives
- February 2020
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- July 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- January 2015
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- November 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- April 2006
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- November 2004
- October 2004
- September 2004
- August 2004
- July 2004
- June 2004
- May 2004
- April 2004
- March 2004
- February 2004
- January 2004
- December 2003
- November 2003
- October 2003
- July 1996
- June 1996
- May 1996
- April 1996
- March 1996
- February 1996
- October 1995
-
Meta
Tag Archives: science fiction
A Beautiful Friendship by David Weber: a short review
That said, it’s a decent book, and fills in some of the Sphinx backstory. Half of the book’s a direct reprint of the novella with the same name; the second half is new and, to me, far too predictable. Weber often goes out of his way to make his villains into real people; no such luck with this one, who’s pretty much a cartoon.
The Sons of Heaven by Kage Baker: a review
But the last half of the book is just wonderful, with Budu’s army of massive tenors and countertenors, Victor’s absolutely perfect revenge on his masters, Lewis’s escape from his fate, and all the threads converging on Catalina on The Day of Silence. There are obvious jokes, jokes that assume you read carefully, and jokes that assume you’re well-read. Gosh this is fun.
Not Less Than Gods by Kage Baker: a short review
Sort of a steampunk version of Robert Heinlein’s story Gulf. It’s got pretty much the same story line and raises the same moral issues. Very bloody, by the way.
Rocket Boy and the Geek Girls: a short review
A short story sampler of Book View Cafe authors. I liked the Katherin Kerr & Maya Kathryn Bohnhoff stories a lot. YMMV.
Tramp Royale by Robert Heinlein: a short review
Starts well, ends poorly–the trip, the book, everything. Worth reading for Heinlein fans, and for anyone who wants a reasonable summary of a mid-50s round-the-world trip. Heinlein has some interesting things to say, is up-front about his prejudices, and is a product of his times. Basically a southern-hemisphere trip, by the way.
Betrayer by CJ Cherryh: a short review
Bren, now really obviously a powerful lord of the realm, rearranges almost everything on the Atevi continent. That’s getting to be a habit. And Cajeiri’s continuing to grow up before our eyes, which is fun. Oddly enough, and unlike other LT reviewers, I liked the first half of the book better than the long, dual-threaded, action sequence.
Farnham’s Freehold by Robert Heinlein: a short review
Creepy. I first read Freehold as a serial in IF magazine, in my teens. Didn’t like it then. Don’t like it now. Appalling at basically all levels.
Once a Hero by Elizabeth Moon: a review
That said: Moon is a master plotter, an efficient writer, and truly excellent at character creation. This is a complex novel on several levels. Besides the warfare, there are two very different political environments, fleet politics, family disagreements, on-board relationships, and a young woman finding herself. Moon integrates these various threads more effectively than anyone else writing military SF. I like this stuff; wish she’d return to it.
Heinlein in Dimension by Alexei Panshin: a review
While Heinlein in Dimension is neither perfect nor definitive, it’s a decent, though often misguided, analysis of Heinlein’s work through 1967. Some of the commentary is painful to read, and parts are just plain wrong, but the context is an author pioneering in difficult terrain. On the one hand, Panshin shows some improbable blind spots, which severely damage the book; on the other, he makes some valuable observations about Heinlein’s themes and methods.
Sir Dominic Flandry by Poul Anderson: a review
Three novels and a short story. And that appalling, off-putting cover.