Blog Archives
sMany people mourned the passing of SF writer Jerry Pournelle. But Dr. Pournelle was more than a writer. He affected many fields and was a significant influence on me. His book that spoke to me the most was A Step Farther Out, a collection of technical essays he’d written. It focused me on how many […]
Heroines, Then and Now
Saturday , 9, September 2017 Appendix N, Authors, Before the Big Three, Fiction 20 CommentsA frequent criticism of older stories, pulp or otherwise, is that they feature a “damsel in distress”. That the woman in question is nothing more than a prize to be won. This is considered bad, and earnest leftist writers of today seek to correct this horrible injustice by creating “strong female protagonists”. Right away, one […]
In science fiction and fantasy, whether employing images or words, creators are always looking for big ideas. A killer premise, a brilliant spin on a standard story, or something wholly fresh and unique. And while there are no shortage of movies and books that possess those, it’s not nearly as necessary as one initially believes. […]
The Pulpish Master: Rafael Sabatini
Saturday , 26, August 2017 Authors, Before the Big Three 9 CommentsWhen I mention bold fighting heroes laughing at death and their enemies, odious and powerful villains, non-stop action and adventure in picturesque settings, and brave, beautiful, worthy women, what writer comes to mind? For most readers of this blog, it would be Robert E. Howard. But another name fits equally well, that of the great […]
Not 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 […]
In my weekly column, I usually examine good writing. However, one can learn as much through the mistakes of others and what to avoid as their successes. Certain aspects of bad writing have been with us for centuries. Note how dreadful but eerily similar a piece of popular chick-lit from the 19th century, Dora Thorne, is to […]
Do Good Science Fiction Novels Require Memorable, Powerful Protagonists?
Saturday , 22, July 2017 Authors, Book Review, Fiction 38 CommentsMy own column from two weeks ago got me thinking recently. Has there ever been a good, nevermind great science fiction novel that did not feature a strong, unique hero? We’re not considering short stories or novellas, as some don’t even have significant protagonists, but full-length works. At first, my mind couldn’t come up with an […]
Leaning into Leigh Brackett
Saturday , 24, June 2017 Appendix N, Authors, Before the Big Three, Pulp Revolution, Short Fiction 20 CommentsLeigh Brackett is something of a staple here at Castalia House and for the Pulp Revolution crowd at large, but I must admit it’s taken me quite a while to get to her stuff. I’ve seen Alex’s reviews, of course, and I’ve noted her constant exclusion by the “women have historically been excluded from SFF!!1” […]
Son of the Pulps Part 3: The Wold Newton
Saturday , 17, June 2017 Appendix N, Authors, Fiction 2 CommentsWe conclude our discussion of the influence of pulp on Philip Jose Farmer with a look at his Wold Newton family. In Tarzan Alive, Farmer links his favorite British lord to dozens of fictional characters, many from the pulps, including Sherlock Holmes, Bulldog Drummond, The Shadow, Sam Spade, Nayland Smith of Dr. Fu-Manchu fame, James Bond, Professor […]
Son of the Pulps Part 2: Farmer’s Tarzans
Saturday , 10, June 2017 Appendix N, Authors, Book Review, Fiction 6 CommentsTarzan as imagined by Edgar Rice Burroughs is a vivid hero that epitomizes full-blooded adventure and influenced generations of writers. The Tarzan of Jose Philip Farmer is better; the ultimate, indomitable hero and my favorite fictional character. As we noted in last week’s column, Farmer was utterly fascinated with Tarzan and wrote several different pastiches […]
Son of the Pulps: Philip Jose Farmer, Part 1
Saturday , 3, June 2017 Appendix N, Authors, Fiction, Short Fiction 4 CommentsIt’s often been asked what later science fiction writers the pulp masters influenced. I wager there were many, even when it’s not directly obvious from the works themselves. For instance, the adventurousness of Heinlein’s stories and his classic heroes remind me strongly of the best pulp authors. But speculation aside, of all the great science […]