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Recent Posts
- Review: In Pursuit of the Unknown (Ian Stewart)
- Intensifying Stories: Running with the Winners
- Review: Accelerando, by Charles Stross
- Valuable Stories in the INVEST Model
- Article: When Software Smells Bad
- Review: Structured Programming (Dahl, Dijkstra, and Hoare)
- Negotiable Stories in the INVEST Model
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Tag Archives: fiction
Review: Accelerando, by Charles Stross
Accelerando, by Charles Stross. Ace, 2006. This novel explores the Singularity: What happens when AI, uploading, and other variations of humanity (or non-humanity) start to happen. I was worried that a novel on this subject would basically be, "Computers take … Continue reading
Review – Ruled Britannia (Turtledove)
Ruled Britannia, by Harry Turtledove. This is another of Harry Turtledove's alternative history novels. In this case, the Spanish Armada succeeded in the late 16th century, and Spain has taken over England. This is the time of Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth, … Continue reading
Review – Musashi
Musashi, by Eiji Yoshikawa. Kodansha International, 1995. Swordplay, true love, and a man climbing up the side of a cliff. It's not the Princess Bride; it's the story of Musashi, the most famous swordsman of Japan. This is a romanticized, historical … Continue reading
Review – C.S. Lewis Space Trilogy
Out of the Silent Planet, by C.S. Lewis A linguist (Ransom) is kidnapped and ends up on another planet. (The science is wobbly, but it's a classic travel story stretched to unexplored worlds). How will he work with humans or with those … Continue reading
Review: The Clockwork Man (Jablonsky)
The Clockwork Man, by William Jablonsky. Medallion Press, 2010. Late in the 19th century, the world's best clockmaker creates a clockwork man (who doesn't like being referred to as a robot). He (it?) lets himself run down, and wakes … Continue reading
Review – Down & Out in the Magic Kingdom, by Cory Doctorow
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, by Cory Doctorow. Tor, 2003. What happens when reputation is more important than money, when death is yesterday’s problem? A group of people have decided to maintain Disney World. Is it better to change or … Continue reading
Review – Mabinogion Tetralogy, by Evangeline Walton
Mabinogion Tetralogy, by Evangline Walton. Overlook. 2003. This is an under-appreciated work of fantasy. It’s based on the Mabinogion, a set of Celtic myths found in Welsh documents. The version I bought 25 years ago was in four separate volumes, … Continue reading
Review – Mythology, by Edith Hamilton
Mythology, by Edith Hamilton. Back Bay Books, 1998. Hamilton works through the basic myths, mostly from Greek and Roman sources. Topics include “The Gods, the Creation, and the Earliest Heroes”, “Stories of Love and Adventure”, “The Great Heroes before the … Continue reading
Review- The Dark Tower and Other Stories
The Dark Tower and Other Stories, by C.S. Lewis If you want to complete your collection of C.S. Lewis fiction, this volume will do that. (Note that about 1/3 of it overlaps with the stories included in Of Other Worlds by the … Continue reading
Review – Legends of Dune (series)
The Legends of Dune series: The Butlerian Jihad, The Machine Crusade, and The Battle of Corrin (or the Box Set), by Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson. Tor Books, 2003-2005. This series is called “Legends of Dune.” It’s set thousands of years before “Dune,” when people … Continue reading
Review – The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and the Amber Spyglass
The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. (3-volume set) By Phillip Pullman. Laurel Leaf (pub.), 2003. It’s hard to review this series without giving away too much, but here goes: The Golden Compass:This story is set in … Continue reading
Review – Dune
Dune, by Frank HerbertWhen I think through my favorite science fiction, I always come back to Dune. It’s a sweeping and powerful mix of intrigue with ecology. Herbert creates a unique but plausible world, and explores the forces that move … Continue reading
Review – Frankenstin (Koontz)
Frankenstein (Dean Koontz et al.):Prodigal Son (vol. 1)City of Night (vol. 2)Dead and Alive (vol. 3) (I can’t resist posting this review on Halloween.) A pair of detectives are working to solve murders and other other mysteries. Frankenstein or his … Continue reading
Review – The Well at the World’s End
The Well at the World’s End (volume 1 and volume 2), by William Morris, Borgo Press, 2000. [Originally published 1896!]This is considered the first fantasy novel set in its own world. William Morris was an artisan (leader of the Arts … Continue reading
Review – Anathem
Anathem, by Neal Stephenson, Harper, 2009. Thinkers are cloistered in a kind of monastery; something changes; consequences ensue. It’s hard to say much more without leaking key plot twists. It’s a solid story, with some geeky side trails. Long and … Continue reading