1.5
Yeah. It is twice as bad. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about The Double Of My Double Is Not My Double – Jeffrey Ford
This issue is rubbish at 2.70. With apologies to Kristine Kathryn Rusch (who again fails to disappoint with a Diving novella) and Derek Kunsken, who manages to be funny. Half of the stories are bad. Silverberg and Kelly are also interesting in their columns. I’d say check those out if they are online, and wait [...]
“When I unfolded it, all there was on the paper were two crossed-out lines and a penciled note: FUCK I’M BORED.” 1.5 out of 5
Unless writing about failed writer in faux typewriter font, of course. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Next Time You’ll Know Me – Ramsey Campbell
Mediocre and poor stories. The best thing here is about the use of linguistics article. Clarkesworld 55 : The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees – E. Lily Yu Clarkesworld 55 : Matchmaker – Erin M. Hartshorn Insect diplomacy. 3 out of 5 Kurz cling. 2.5 out of 5 1.5 out of 5 http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/prior/issue_55/
Pretty much the same quality as the first issue. Plus poetry. Heroic Fantasy Quarterly 2 : The Hand Of Afaz – Euan Harvey Heroic Fantasy Quarterly 2 : Monster In The Mountains – Bywilliam Gerke Heroic Fantasy Quarterly 2 : The Waking Of Angantyr – Marie Brennan Naked swimming and paen singing. 2.5 out of [...]
Continue reading about Heroic Fantasy Quarterly 2 – David Farney and Adrian Simmons
The stories here are of no interest. Kind of like this issue got lost in 1972. An article by Fulda on the history of hysterical reactions to new entertainment mediums. Clarkesworld 51 : The Taxidermist’s Other Wife – Kelly Barnhill Clarkesworld 51 : The Children of Main Street – A.C. Wise Don’t know Margaret. 2 [...]
Stories here are both poor with crappy endings. The non-fiction is much better. An article on SF and Holmes, and an interview with Lois McMaster Bujold. Enough to get it to a 1.25 and rounding up, anyway. Clarkesworld 50 : On the Banks of the River Lex – N. K. Jemisin Clarkesworld 50 : Seeing [...]
The fiction is of no interest. They seem to keep publishing Eric Brown, and I have no idea why. Best thing is the interview with Jay Lake. Laying the Ghost – Eric Brown Salvaging Gods – Jacques Barcia Skull survival shock. 3 out of 5 Hammer them. 2.5 out of 5 1.5 out of 5 [...]
Bad is the word for this magazine, with a terrible sub-3.0 average, and nothing at all worth bothering with. Other than the non-fiction, luckily, which is rather better. ASIMOVS416 : BACKLASH – Nancy Fulda ASIMOVS416 : THE PALACE IN THE CLOUDS – Eugene Mirabelli ASIMOVS416 : WHEAT RUST – Benjamin Crowell ASIMOVS416 : FOR WANT [...]
Space mutants are here. (This one is in the category of so bad it is good type of story). 1.5 out of 5 http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/33642
Nothing makes it above ordinary here. Apex Magazine 15 : Fair Ladies – Theodora Goss Apex Magazine 15 : Four Is Me! With Squeeeeee! – Nick Mamatas Apex Magazine 15 : Secret Life – Jeff VanderMeer Back to Malo. 3 out of 5 State of ruin. 2 out of 5 Cleaning out the shadow chamber. [...]
“A woman divinely tall and with hair like ripened wheat, modelled of hammered sunlight, her glowing flesh surcharged with the infinite female energies of the Universal Pole, met him at the topmost step of the ladder.” 1.5 out of 5 http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32822/32822-h/32822-h.htm
Continue reading about Daughter of the Night – Richard S. Shaver
Electron world fear. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/5/7/32579/32579-h/32579-h.htm
The Martians got us, so no kids. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/6/8/32683/32683-h/32683-h.htm
Continue reading about The Next Time We Die – Robert Moore Williams
Navy Dome. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/6/5/32654/32654-h/32654-h.htm
War spy perv. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/5/9/32591/32591-h/32591-h.htm
Continue reading about Henry Horn’s X-ray Eye Glasses – Dwight V. Swain
G-Boat Mars experiment. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/2/0/6/32067/32067-h/32067-h.htm
A trial. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Ghosts Doing The Orange Dance – Paul Park
We got no pilesyptian. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/0/9/3/30932/30932-h/30932-h.htm
Shooting hollow. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.archive.org/details/Super_Science_Volume_1_Number_2_
Space Pirate daughter. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.archive.org/details/Planet_St…
Titan and Mars too. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.archive.org/details/Planet_Stories_Volume_6_Number_10_
Dirty trick save. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.archive.org/details/Planet_St…
A consistent issue at 2.85 due to the lineup, but no standouts, with Coppel coming closet with a story more reminiscent of the mood of Poul Anderson’s Duel On Syrtis. Planet Stories 50 : The Incubi of Parallel X – Theodore Sturgeon Planet Stories 50 : Sanctuary Oh Ulla! – J. T. McIntosh Planet Stories [...]
A collection of short stories each in a future city setting, none of which are any good. Sunfall : THE ONLY DEATH IN THE CITY (Paris) – C. J. CherryhSunfall : THE HAUNTED TOWER (London) – C. J. CherryhSunfall : ICE (Moscow) – C. J. CherryhSunfall : NIGHTGAME (Rome) – C. J. CherryhSunfall : HIGHLINER [...]
Russell was capable of producing some quality stuff – but also piles of dreck. Junk aplenty here, with one good one. Six Worlds Yonder : The Waitabits – Eric Frank RussellSix Worlds Yonder : Tieline – Eric Frank RussellSix Worlds Yonder : Top Secret – Eric Frank RussellSix Worlds Yonder : Nothing New – Eric [...]
Continue reading about Six Worlds Yonder – Eric Frank Russell
Apart from the longer opening Pern tale and one other, these are routinely mediocre to poor stories at 2.83. Girl Who Heard Dragons : The Girl Who Heard Dragons – Anne McCaffreyGirl Who Heard Dragons : Velvet Fields – Anne McCaffreyGirl Who Heard Dragons : Euterpe on a Fling – Anne McCaffreyGirl Who Heard Dragons [...]
Continue reading about The Girl Who Heard Dragons – Anne McCaffrey
A triple of light supernatural stories of greater length, of which the last is the best. Witching Hour : The Reluctant Witch – James GunnWitching Hour : The Beautiful Brew – James GunnWitching Hour : The Magicians – James Gunn Machines might cause problems – but so does the supernatural stuff. 2.5 out of 5 [...]
Rogan tube men. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.gutenberg.org/files/30214/30214-h/30214-h.htm
You have Anderson’s rather good tense situation on a starship story, Dick’s reasonable tale, and you can forget the rest apart from some amusement at some bad lines. Or, 2 good, 5 bad. Planet Stories 1952 09 : Planet Stories 1952 09 – Jack O’SullivanPlanet Stories 1952 09 : Evil Out of Onzar – Mark [...]
Blast Titan. 1.5 out of 5
Cry to read. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.fantasticmetropolis.com/i/drfloods/full/
Continue reading about Dear Floods Of Her Hair – James Sallis
Story convenience no forgiveness. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.strangehorizons.com/2009/20091005/sun-f.shtml
Continue reading about And Their Lips Rang with the Sun – Amal El-Mohtar
Boring pervert wanker. 1.5 out of 5
A collection of pretty average, only 2.86, all along the same lines, in general. Set in a non-fantastic nonexistent area. Orsinian Tales : The Fountains – Ursula K. Le GuinOrsinian Tales : The Barrow – Ursula K. Le GuinOrsinian Tales : Ile Forest – Ursula K. Le GuinOrsinian Tales : Conversations at Night – Ursula [...]
“But what happens in real life? What happened to you, for example? You fell for a series of stupid tricks, stupidly perpetrated—because the people in power are people, and not the kind of synthetic super-intellects dreamed up by frustrated fiction-fabricators. You found out that the logical candidates to constitute an Underground were the Naturalists; again, [...]
An interesting idea, this doomed strange existence at the end. However, it is completely and utterly unreadable. The biggest abuse of the semi-colon in the history of the world, perhaps: “Yet, truly, there was no use in help that was yet to come; for the needdid be then and instant; and I nowise loath to [...]
Continue reading about The Night Land – William Hope Hodgson
Reading this might make you turn green. Again, very badly written this third volume of the Sleepers trilogy. Here we have a Spectre era Hal Jordan no longer Spectred. We have a counterfeit! Green Lantern ring plot – so hence, Sinestro, and Malvolio. Plus, a teamup and some Justice League cameos, Aquamna, Wonder Woman, etc., [...]
Reading this might make you turn green. As far as the writing goes, anyway, it is very bad. Going from the young Green Lantern Kyle Rayner in the first back, it is back to the future in this one – to go with Alan Scott – again facing off against a renegade with Green Lantern [...]
An occult detective of the wealthy adventurer type. e.g. Philip St. George is too rich to be interested in getting any more money. Especially after the death of his wife at a cult’s hands. So, he sets out to be a globetrotting occult debunker. He takes a bit more of a Doc Savage approach to [...]
Colourful shrinking. 1.5 out of 5 http://manybooks.net/titles/williamsonja2917729177.html
Stop bad guys, but no emotion. 1.5 out of 5 http://www.gutenberg.org/files/29069/29069-h/29069-h.htm
Much parable, but much that is only vaguely interesting, and also instantly disposable. Lone Star Stories 33 : Parable Lost – Jo Walton Lone Star Stories 33 : Pranks – Nina Kiriki Hoffman Lone Star Stories 33 : The Parable of the Shower – Leah Bobet There’s everything in this story, except anything that isn’t [...]
A poor issue, only 2.5. Beneath Ceaseless Skies 17 : The Tinyman and Caroline – Sarah L. EdwardsBeneath Ceaseless Skies 17 : System, Magic, Spirit – T.D. Edge Not an elf, just shared out. 3 out of 5 What a Ring, Doghmart Wizard. 2 out of 5 1.5 out of 5 http://beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/toc.php
Continue reading about Beneath Ceaseless Skies 17 – Scott H. Andrews
Double love decision. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Alpha Say Beta Do – Alfred E. Maxwell
Single Hawk Greenies. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Slave-Ship To Andrigo – Ross Rocklynne
Solar League can handle a couple of ancient alien races. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Out Of the Dark Nebula – Milton L. Coe
Annoying aunt. 1.5 out of 5
Great die story. 1.5 out of 5
Visionary mountain ruin. 1.5 out of 5
Manbot programming. 1.5 out of 5
Androids. Bad. That’s about what I’d say for this one. Bad writing, bad story. “Flat on her back, in what was becoming repetitive as a training loop, Shesha Haddon pondered whether she would survive this onset of friendship into a viable future. She was not given long to think it through. Holt rolled his weight [...]
This issues averages 2.57, with Kuttner the best of them. A couple are truly bad, but the Simak and Jacobi have some moments. The letter column is actually very entertaining. Story rating, sniping, with a range of people from teenage girls to crotchety critics. Planet Stories 1944 Fall : Highwayman of the Void – Frederik [...]
Fountain Of Youth poison. 1.5 out of 5
Dwarves with super hearing and Photo-Atomic Rays scare me. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about The Cave-Dwellers Of Saturn – John Wiggin
Blue-Ray takeout. 1.5 out of 5
With some Earth blokes, vs the Scaly Ones, and traitors. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about The Golden Amazons Of Venus – John Murray Reynolds
Time to crash into the Mongol hordes, kid. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Suicide Squadrons Of Space – David Wright O’Brien
Beneath Ceaseless Skies 12 : The Orangery – K.D. WentworthBeneath Ceaseless Skies 12 : Unrest – Grace Seybold Hot and snakey-necked. 3 out of 5 Troll dead, woman dead, or any combination thereof. 2.5 out of 5 1.5 out of 5 http://www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/toc.php?s=all
Continue reading about Beneath Ceaseless Skies 12 – Scott H. Andrews
http://www.shortcovers.com/shortcovers/The-Memory-of-Earth/sc-U3kXl5VBIkGMTB0r_rJLuw/page1.html#4 ““Then you’re a genuine mental case, my boy,” said Issib. “ I thought you were mad. He thought you were mad. The Oversoul thought you were mad.”” 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about The Memory Of Earth 1 – Orson Scott Card
http://www.shortcovers.com/shortcovers/Alvin-Journeyman/sc-UI4q9e1ZQUOxcTYae3P9RQ/page1.html “Well I ain’t Taleswapper, which some of you might already have guessed, seeing how we don’t look much alike, and I don’t plan on becoming Taleswapper anytime soon, or anything much like him, not cause I don’t reckon him to be a fine fellow, worthy of folks emulating him, but mainly because I don’t [...]
Continue reading about Alvin Journeyman 1 – Orson Scott Card
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/28048 Helping out the low tech natives. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Shepherd Of the Planets – Alan Mattox
Mother of Kings is one of those books that after a chunk I had not interest in finishing. Also, as one of Anderson’s very late works – as a whole, these later books are generally far inferior to early work, and this would appear to be another example. Those who like the historical novel may [...]
Overlong description dance. 1.5 out of 5
http://www.webscription.net/10.1125/Baen/0671876422/0671876422.htm Read this in the way back pre-ebook days, or rather attempted to. Also was using a library that was nowhere near as cool as the current library system for inter-bran and library loans, so was running out of stuff of interest, so picked this up. It went back soon afterwards. A big boofy non-human [...]
http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/16-ClawsThatCatchCD/ClawsThatCatchCD/Ghost/1416509054__29.htm Terrorist likes hos like me. 1.5 out of 5
http://pulpgen.com/pulp/downloads/getpdf.php?id=1092 Just as tough topless as you. 1.5 out of 5
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 2 – J. K. Rowlinghttp://www.bookbrowse.com/excerpts/index.cfm?book_number=452&page_number=10 “When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to [...]
Continue reading about Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone 2 – J. K. Rowling
The Way Of Shadows 1 – Brent Weekshttp://www.orbitbooks.net/the-way-of-shadows/ “He was a foot from the opening when something bright flashed in front of his nose. It was so close, it took a moment to come into focus. It was Durzo Blint’s huge sword, and it was stuck through the floor all the way into the mud, [...]
A War Of Gifts 1 – Orson Scott Cardhttp://us.macmillan.com/BookCustomPage.aspx?isbn=9780765312822#Excerpt “Then his voice fell to a whisper. “Jolly old Saint Nicholas,” he hissed. “Lean your ear this way. Don’t you tell a single soul what I’m going to say.” Then his voice roared out again. “Yes, your children whisper their secret desires to Satan and he [...]
Aucun ImbÉcile Je – Berrien Hendersonhttp://behindthewainscot.com/?p=202 No suprise the Jabberwocky couldn’t be arsed. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Aucun ImbÉcile Je – Berrien Henderson
Sleepers 1 – Christopher J. Priest and Mike BaronReading this might make you turn green. As far as the writing goes, anyway, it is rather bad. A bit of a shame, as with Qward, a Sinestro plot, humans being left power rings of the yellow variety, and a bunch of cameos like Green Arrow, Black [...]
Continue reading about Sleepers 1 – Christopher J. Priest and Mike Baron
Virus – Sarah LanganDisappointing. I picked this one up because it was mentioned in Interzone, and looked to be a shortish horror novel. The only problem is that not much of that going in in the first part of it I read, or the rest I flipped through. In fact, not a lot going on, [...]
The Gryb – A. E. Van VogtVery poor, this collection doesn’t even make it to 3. 2.92 in fact. The first is easily the best and The Gryb and the Star-Saint are passable. Gryb : Humans Go Home – A. E. van Vogt Gryb : The Star-Saint – A. E. van Vogt Gryb : Rebirth [...]
Brak the Barbarian – John JakesBrak is going a wandering with a destination in mind. He is definitely the grim and dour sort of barbarian, and not too trusting with the ladies, unlike some others. He has problems with servants of a Cthulhoid deity, some enslavement, Doomdogs, Fangfish, and does a queen a big favour [...]
A Dying Fall – Christopher PriestEverything and everybody died, certainly. Including this story. 1.5 out of 5
Pearl In Shadow – Darja Malcolm-Clarkehttp://www.ideomancer.com/main/vol7issue2/malcolm-clarke/one.html “..some of the malodorous aura of the street.” Err… no. Stone me. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Pearl In Shadow – Darja Malcolm-Clarke
Hub 52 – Lee Harris and Alasdair Stuart and Trudi Tophamhttp://www.hub-mag.co.uk/images/hub_52.pdf A view of new Who 3 and 4, and a reprint of Richard Morgan’s article ranting about SF people who rant about SF people on the internet. Hub 52 : Until Pebbles Grow – Daniel Good 2 out of 5 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Hub 52 – Lee Harris and Alasdair Stuart and Trudi Topham
Centrifugal – Brandon Sandersonhttp://www.brandonsanderson.com/library/24/Early-Short-Stories-CENTRIFUGAL-(1994) No Brainiac 5 in charge here. 1.5 out of 5
Ilium – Dan SimmonsNo more Trojans, please. I am sure I am all Trojan-analogued out with all the various pieces I have read over the last couple of years, and while I really like Simmons and some of his books and stories are among my all-time favorites, I have picked this one up twice and [...]
The Gods Have Left Us – Paul Jessuphttp://www.swordandsorcery.org/fs/vol2-iss6-03.htm Yes, Machete. Definitely. Please. 1.5 out of 5
ChiZine 35 – Brett Alexander Savoryhttp://www.chizine.com/fiction.htm Some poetry, an editorial that was a link to another blog? Chizine 35 : Chizine 35 – Sandra Kasturi Chizine 35 : Dust and Bibles – Michael Colangelo Chizine 35 : The Mystery of the Missing Puskat – Lavie Tidhar Chizine 35 : Matthew – A. C. Wise Heady [...]
Spacesuits and Sixguns 4 – Dave Dugginshttp://www.spacesuitsandsixguns.com/ This one is as amateur as you would expect, although the last two stories, sf humour pieces are amusing. The cover with insect alien in control is pretty cool, too. Spacesuits and Sixguns 4 : Rise of Kencha – Erin Hartshorn Spacesuits and Sixguns 4 : Higher Education [...]
Continue reading about Spacesuits and Sixguns 4 – Dave Duggins
Higher Education – Isabel Kunklehttp://www.spacesuitsandsixguns.com/highereducation.html Zombie school. 1.5 out of 5
Hub 42 – Lee Harris and Alasdair Stuart and Trudi Tophamhttp://www.hub-mag.co.uk/images/hub_42.pdf Threatening to run more flash stories. Urk. Bad. Reviews of a Doctor Who ‘undersea’ three storyline collection – Silurians and Sea Devils, nifty. Also an article on slash fanfic, and a bit on the Daywatch movie. Hub 42 : The Scarlet Number – Christopher [...]
Continue reading about Hub 42 – Lee Harris and Alasdair Stuart and Trudi Topham
Hub 41 – Lee Harris and Alasdair Stuart and Trudi Tophamhttp://www.hub-mag.co.uk/images/hub_41.pdf Couple of book reviews here, and it says that Christopher Fowler’s is his tenth story collection. Obviously of the Isaac Asimov ‘collect ‘em all’ school. Hub 41 : On The Wheel – Richard Parks Rat race. 2.5 out of 5 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Hub 41 – Lee Harris and Alasdair Stuart and Trudi Topham
No More Angels – Ellen Phillipshttp://www.hub-mag.co.uk/images/hub_40.pdf Archfucker. 1.5 out of 5
Hub 37 – Lee Harris and Alasdair Stuart and Trudi Tophamhttp://www.hub-mag.co.uk/images/hub_37.pdf A review of The Black Dossier, and some of the silliness surrounding it in the UK for some obscure copyright reason or other. Hub 37 : Running the Slash – Ralan Conley Stone wigglers. 2.5 out of 5 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Hub 37 – Lee Harris and Alasdair Stuart and Trudi Topham
Doughnut Jockey – Erik FennelPilot test. 1.5 out of 5
The Sparrow – Mary Doria RussellA bad book by a mundane religiously focused writer trying to be a science fiction writer, and failing, in general. Obvious, tedious, and worse than mediocre. This sort of thing has been handled many times before to considerably better effect. The religious preaching is so overt it causes you to [...]
The Sparrow – Mary Doria RussellA bad book by a mundane religiously focused writer trying to be a science fiction writer, and failing, in general. Obvious, tedious, and worse than mediocre. This sort of thing has been handled many times before to considerably better effect. The religious preaching is so overt it causes you to [...]
A Game Of Thrones – George R. R. MartinI started this what appeared to be the start of a huge fantasy epic (much like Robert Jordan) with some interest, because I had enjoyed some other Martin projects. To be interested, or stay interested in such a project I would have had to have found some [...]
Continue reading about A Game Of Thrones – George R. R. Martin
A Game Of Thrones – George R. R. MartinI started this what appeared to be the start of a huge fantasy epic (much like Robert Jordan) with some interest, because I had enjoyed some other Martin projects. To be interested, or stay interested in such a project I would have had to have found some [...]
Continue reading about A Game Of Thrones – George R. R. Martin
Seventh Son – Orson Scott CardBoring mormon wish-fulfillment fantasy. In this arena, David Gemmell he is not. If that is what you are after, then by all means get it, otherwise something like The Jerusalem Man will be much more appealing. You could, however, use them as a cure for insomnia, or severe lack of [...]
Seventh Son – Orson Scott CardBoring mormon wish-fulfillment fantasy. In this arena, David Gemmell he is not. If that is what you are after, then by all means get it, otherwise something like The Jerusalem Man will be much more appealing. You could, however, use them as a cure for insomnia, or severe lack of [...]
Little Big – John CrowleyI started this, but absolutely not my thing. The writing would seem to be ok, but at several hundred pages of what was going on here, no thanks. This particular Fantasy Masterworks edition had the incredibly annoying and twee indentations of different scenes time after time. That destroys any reading flow, [...]
The Power Of the Sentence – David M. Lockehttp://www.archive.org/download/MindWebs-SciFi/Mindwebs-780421_PowerOfTheSentence.mp3 Professor dies, presumably of terminal reflected lecturing. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about The Power Of the Sentence – David M. Locke
Dr and Mrs Watson at Home – Loren D. EstlemanDomestic farce. 1.5 out of 5
Continue reading about Dr and Mrs Watson at Home – Loren D. Estleman
