Tag Archives: sci-fi

Modern classic: The Will to Battle (Terra Ignota 3) by Ada Palmer

This review has been several weeks in making.  Usually, I write reviews in a week, with multiple rereads and revisions.  In this case, I never felt that my efforts were adequate to the quality of the book, and I ended … Continue reading

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Classic review: Beyond the Blue Event Horizon (Heechee saga 2) by Frederik Pohl

Sequels to highly regarded books are a risky venture. The expectations are high, and even if the book meets them, the mood tends to be dampened by the more prominent hero’s journey curve, at the expense of worldbuilding. Where the … Continue reading

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Book review: The Icarus Hunt by Timothy Zahn

Welcome back to the good old days of science fiction when stories were fun, authors didn’t need to comment on social issues or historical events, and readers didn’t have to be bogged down by hidden messages. Where the protagonists were … Continue reading

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Book review: Relic by Alan Dean Foster

The most recent novel by Alan Dean Foster is quite a surprise. It reads like pastoral science fiction of old, while maintaining its own modern character. It’s slow and ponderous, with minimal action, yet endearing and insightful. It will please … Continue reading

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Book review: The Genesis Fleet trilogy by Jack Campbell

Jack Campbell has built up one of the most successful military science fiction franchises, thanks to a few simple strategies. He kept the worldbuilding, character development and moral ambiguities at a minimum, and instead focused on the tactics of space … Continue reading

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Flash review: Counting Casualties by Yoon Ha Lee

A space opera encompassing a galactic war, numerous planets and cultures destroyed, and a journey that takes several years, in a package of less than 5000 words. Yoon Ha Lee continues with her trend of creating enormous worlds, which are … Continue reading

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Flash Review: The Difference Between Love and Time by Catherynne M. Valente

Valente has a penchant for quirky writing, but even so, this story ranks among her more extreme ones. And I mean it in a good way. This short, but endearing and funny novelette, highlights the author’s skill with words and … Continue reading

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Book review: A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge

As far as expansive space operas go, this novel is mind-blowing. The scope of the worldbuilding, richness of characters and attention to detail are impressive, any they highlight the efficient writing that makes reading this book a true pleasure. Add … Continue reading

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Book review: Live Free or Die (Troy Rising 1) by John Ringo

At a time when the vast majority of science fiction is bleak and technology is portrayed as potentially disastrous, all optimistic, forward-thinking works deserve special attention. Be it Taylor’s Bobiverse or Weir’s Project Hail Mary, readers like me appreciate true … Continue reading

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Classic Review: The Invincible by Stanislaw Lem

The Invincible is a truly revolutionary work. It makes bold predictions that have become the norm in later science fiction (and partially in science), serves as one of the best examples of classic idea-driven sci-fi works, and yet it still … Continue reading

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