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sForgotten Sword and Sorcery Artists: John Duillo
Sunday , 24, September 2017 Uncategorized 2 CommentsJohn Duillo (1928-2003) is an artist many of you have seen if you collect classic sword and sorcery paperbacks. He is known as the other guy who painted three covers for Lancer Books seminal Conan series in the late 1960s. There is not much information available on John Duillo. He produced covers for the “men’s […]
The First People to Really Make Science Fiction Work
Saturday , 23, September 2017 Appendix N 39 CommentsThis crowdfunding pitch I came across via Cory Doctorow managed managed to lose me at the first sentence: So Robert Heinlein is what we call one of the big three: Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein. And those are the first people to really make science fiction work… I suppose I should be happy with […]
Today’s guest post is by David Lille, co-creator with Liz Lille of the Dreamkeepers graphic novel series. You can follow them on a variety of social media platforms including Gab. Faithful readers of the Castalia House blog are familiar with our Comic Revolution endeavor. Pursuant to that, I’ve been invited to talk about our own series, […]
Max Kolbe and Brian Niemeier on Ideological Atheism & Science Fiction
Friday , 22, September 2017 Appendix N 4 CommentsThis is positively mind blowing: “The Science Fiction Age, as we have known it during the past few years, is over. Definitely over and done with. Dead, gentlemen, of intellectual bankruptcy.” That’s John B. Michel in 1937. 1937! If you came away from QuQu and Dan Wolfgang’s The Ideological Conquest of Science Fiction Literature wanting to know more […]
The Westerly Gales sweep across the seas to their conclusion in Assault on Zanzibar! Centuries in the future, mankind struggles to survive after the “Troubles”, a generation-long series of catastrophes that caused the largest population crash in the history of the human race. Everywhere, humanity has regressed to a paleolithic level of technology, hunter-gatherers eking […]
Short Reviews – Balu the Bear, by Blanche E. Ward
Friday , 22, September 2017 Uncategorized Leave a commentBalu the Bear by Blanche E. Ward appeared in the June 1944 issue of The Wide World. Sometimes you need a good diversion; a short, droll piece to fill a page. Balu the Bear is just such a piece. A dancing bear is sold to a rich guy who keeps it around because when you […]
Classic Traveller: Session Report 3
Thursday , 21, September 2017 Games, Tabletop Games, Traveller, Uncategorized 2 CommentsTaking up where the last session report left off. Session characters: Sir Percival Jones, 54577B, Age 30, Scout (3 terms, mustered out), Pilot 1, JOT 1, ATV 1, Vacc Suit 1 Elect 3. He’s cash poor, but, a lucky chap who’s survived 12 years as a scout and the service appreciates it by loaning him […]
I was wondering if perhaps I had overstated my case in claiming that most people wrongly assume that D&D sprang from Tolkien’s approach to fantasy… but no, it really is par for the course: Let’s review, shall we…? The OD&D three-point alignment system, the AD&D Paladin class, and regenerating trolls were all lifted wholesale from […]
Samuel E. Green and Michael-Scott Earle summon Space Knight, a genre-blending adventure mixing space opera, high fantasy, and litRPG elements. * * * * * A world where science and magic co-exist Mankind has mastered space travel and set out to colonize other planets. The Kingdoms formed, […]
The burglar fumbled in his pocket, and Dunne leaned forward sharply, the gun jutting out. It was only the jewelry. It glowed on the man’s big palm and Dunne whistled softly. “You damned fool,” he whispered. “You utter damned fool. That’s moonglow jewel jade! Worth a fortune. Good lord, it’s priceless! That bit there shaped […]
The First Class Monsters of the Tunnels & Trolls Game
Wednesday , 20, September 2017 Tabletop Games Leave a commentMonsters! Monsters! is a fascinating game. Keep in mind that the publication of role-playing games had only begun two years before. This was followed up with the 1975 release of “the poor man’s alternative to D&D”, Tunnels & Trolls. Monsters! Monsters! was released during America’s bicentennial and notice TSR’s response the next year. They produced the […]