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sNot too long ago I finally got through Sterling Lanier’s Hiero’s Journey. Although it undeniably put forth some creative and inspiring ideas, I wasn’t overly impressed. Jeffro’s noted that the book was one of the primary influences of Gamma World, and though I’ve never played it, reading the basic description of the game’s setting is indeed evocative […]
X-O Manowar (2017) is the ultimate embodiment of classic pulp concepts in a modern comic. The most recent incarnation by writer Matt Kindt, with different artists depending on the arc, has been pure, off-the-wall, action. It has a great mix of elements: strange aliens, strange devices, and a barbarian character goes into relentless battle that […]
Short Reviews – The Haunted Level, by Cassiter Wright
Friday , 18, August 2017 Uncategorized 2 CommentsThe Haunted Level by Cassiter Wright appeared in the June 1944 issue of The Wide World. I seriously looked for this but I couldn’t even find a shot of the cover, but it has a guy with a mustache in a beater and a hat standing in a jungle pointing out across a lagoon. Taking a […]
THROWBACK SF THURSDAY: Throne of the Bastards by Brian Keene and Steven L. Shrewbury
Thursday , 17, August 2017 Book Review Leave a comment“What is this?” I imagine you saying. “What is Throne of the Bastards doing in the Summer of Conan? I read the blurb and no mention of Conan is to be found.” Throne of the Bastards isn’t openly a Conan pastiche, sure. But it is only about two letters away. If you simply must read […]
Okay, yeah… I took a solitaire game to board game night. I think this one’s so neat people need to see it, even if it’s just to try a couple of patrols. I have to say though, The Hunters is kind of unique in that people will ask you to bring it back for an […]
You know The Shadow. You may know The Spider. You definitely know Conan. And after this year’s cinematic offering you also know Valerian, even if you’re not familiar with the original comics. But are these really the most beloved SFF heroes in print? Really? Yes, they are definitely at the top – and a convincing […]
WARGAME WEDNESDAY: Marc Gouyon-Rety Interview at The Player’s Aid
Wednesday , 16, August 2017 Tabletop Games, Wargames Leave a commentGMT Games’s much-anticipated Pendragon takes the battle-hardened COIN-system that’s been used to tackle wars in Vietnam and Afganistan… and takes it back in time to the bad old days of Roman Britain when Scotti and Saxons were plundering the land. I got to try out a playtest copy at Prezcon and let me tell you: […]
18 years ago they came to destroy us… A race of conquerors from deep space had set their eyes on Earth´s riches. Their invasion slaughtered billions… But humanity united under a common leadership and fought back. We chased them off Earth and most of the Solar System. The war still rages on, and every year […]
Covering fantasy, alternate history, and historical fiction, here are six new releases from July 2017’s feast for the imagination. * * * * * Brutal (Brutal Trilogy #1) – James Alderdice A man of violence. A duchess with dangerous desires. Two warring wizards. Things in Aldreth are going […]
(Confederate) Women have ALWAYS written Science Fiction.
Tuesday , 15, August 2017 Appendix N 4 CommentsWomen have made some truly astonishing contributions to fantasy and science fiction. First wave feminist author Francis Stevens wrote so much like the man that would later become known as “The Lord of Fantasy”, she was often mistaken as being one of his pseudonyms. Andre Norton pioneered the style of post-apocalyptic mutant adventure that would […]
SUPERVERSIVE: Why I Don’t Plan to Read King’s “Dark Tower” Series
Tuesday , 15, August 2017 Superversive 14 CommentsThis was originally written in 2015, but it seemed an appropriate time to repost it. I’m just a little behind, I know. But sitting next to me right now is a great book called “Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction”. In there a writer named Deserina Boskovich says this about the ending of […]
I throw out groundbreaking new concepts like every day, because that’s the kind of supergenius your humble host is. For today’s bite, let me introduce you to a little concept I came up with last night, called: “The Total Crap Realization Time Lapse” When you were 5, you liked a lot of crap. Crap TV, […]