Monthly Archives:
sRETROSPECTIVE: Kothar– Barbarian Swordsman by Gardner Fox
Monday , 13, October 2014 Appendix N 7 CommentsKothar the barbarian…? From Cumberia… in the north…? A rough and extremely strong mercenary that likes cheap wine and cute serving wenches…? Swears by Dwallka of the War Hammer or other made-up gods when he is angry or startled…? Yeah, this is more than a little derivative. He even wears mail that is described in the stories, […]
What a staggering achievement: a must-buy and a must-read. Within these pages is a complete and kaleidoscopic vision of a far future utopia, and a master-class in world building by John C. Wright. Here, benevolent machine superintelligences called Sophotechs rule over an immortal and fabulously wealthy mankind. Humanity is divided only by their neuroform base […]
REVIEW: John Golden: Freelance Debugger by Django Wexler
Thursday , 9, October 2014 Book Review Leave a commentHere’s an unusual mix: cyberpunk and fairy tales. The “faeries” in this story are virtual entities that live inside computer systems. And the protagonist’s job consists keeping systems safe. The first third of the book could be the diary of a present day computer security expert. A company wants to hire his services and here’s […]
Euhemerus was a 4th century B.C. Greek (by way of Sicily) thinker and mythographer who is best known for his idea that Greek myths had their origins in non-supernatural historic events. He was an atheist and wrote speculative romances (yes, fiction) that showed how – for example – Zeus was originally a powerful king of […]
A MAGIC BROKEN is now available in audiobook. Written by Vox Day and narrated by Nick Afka Thomas, this 105-minute, high-quality MP3 costs only $4.99 and the ebook is included in the price.
As I read through the Appendix N book list, I am consistently surprised by how good some of this material really is. Edgar Rice Burroughs is superior to his imitators on more than a few points. Roger Zelazny’s Amber series is one of the most entertaining things I’ve ever picked up. And Robert E. Howard […]
“The Deported” by Vox Day Stupefying Stories, October 2011 Now available in THE ALTAR OF HATE. It was the fourth day of our summer holiday in Vernazza, a little fishing village in the Cinque Terre. We had spent the morning on a charming hike through the hills, lunched in Monterosso al Mare, then enjoyed […]
The epublishing innovator offers advice to publishers: It’s simple: Ask yourself what the customer wants, and give it to them. Stop running your business by the whims and needs of the middlemen. Treat writers and readers as well as possible, and refuse to do business with anyone who tries to squeeze you for making that […]
One of the goals of Castalia House is to find and publish new authors, and so we are pleased to announce that Joshua M. Young has joined the illustrious ranks of the Castalia House authors. Mr. Young came to our attention by the means of a short story named “Domo” that he authored which is […]
REVIEW: One Bright Star To Guide Them by John C. Wright
Friday , 3, October 2014 Book Review 2 CommentsJohn C. Wright’s latest tome One Bright Star To Guide Them has a great conceptual hook reminiscent of Spielberg’s Hook. The children of a Chronicles of Narnia-esque adventure are all grown-up, and are tasked to defend Britain from the onslaught of the Knight of Ghosts and Shadows. As the publisher’s description says, the story “begins […]
REVIEW: A Noteworthy Tale of the Seven Sectors: A science fiction novella by Michael Kukka
Thursday , 2, October 2014 Book Review 1 CommentThe novella begins with an unusual warning: Enjoy the ride and don’t worry; it all makes sense in the end. To understand what the author means by “the ride”, just take a look at one of the first paragraphs: Unlike other parts of the known universe, the statistically average inhabitant of the Seven Sectors is […]
A review by Futures Past and Present I began reading a collection of essays by John C. Wright not too long ago and was really impressed with both what the man had to say and how he said it. I’m still reading the book. It’s one I want to savor rather that rush through. I’ll […]