Tuesday, September 24th, 2019
A Night in the Lonesome October by SciFi Grandmaster Roger Zelazny
Once again going to the classic by the late Grandmaster Roger Zelazny. It is set in the month of October, which each day being a chapter. The story is told by Snuff, a watchdog, who like his companion Jack, is the owner of several Curses. One of Jack’s involves a large knife. Whenever there is a full moon on October 31, a group of people and their animal companions gather together and work toward a ritual on the night of the 31st. They are trying to either open or keep closed, a gateway for the Elder Gods (think Lovecraft). So far, the Closers have always won. Up until the end, it’s hard to tell who is an Opener and who is a closer, or even who is in the game. Others who are in the area with Snuff and Jack include: a vampire called “The Count” and his bat; a mad Russian monk and his snake, a broom flying witch named Crazy Jill and her black cat, the Great Detective and his sidekick; Larry Talbot and his furry alter ego. Zelazny had a lot of fun with this book. If you can pick up a copy with the Gahan Wilson illustrations, you are in for a bonus treat.
Monday Book Pick Archive
Tags: book, Monday Book Pick, Roger Zelazny, SciFi, SciFi/Fantasy
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Sunday, June 26th, 2011
OK, not really, since they are lumping fantasy in as well. So you have crap written by George R.R. Martin listed along really good SciFi. Ya, I am biased here. I am much more of a SciFi fan than a fantasy one, and perhaps GRRM may be able to be write decent Elf porn or whatever passes for mainstream fantasy these days, but his attempts at SciFi that I have read have been utter drek.
You can enter your top five books or series under comments for this NPR story on their quest for summer reading. Fair warning, you have to register to post.
The five I entered were:
- Space Viking – H. Beam Piper
- The Probability Broach – L. Neil Smith
- The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress – Robert A. Heinlein
- To Your Scattered Bodies Go – Philip Jose Farmer
- The Mote in God’s Eye – Dr. Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven
This list could change on any given day by one or two entries.
Tags: book, fantasy, H. Beam Piper, Libertarian, NPR, Philip Jose Farmer, Pournelle, Robert Heinlein, Science Fiction, SciFi, SciFi/Fantasy, Sunday SciFi
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Friday, December 17th, 2010
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Didn’t get good reviews, but I liked it. Good guys, bad guys, good actors and a classic plot, save the world and get the girl.
Friday B-Movie Pick Archive
Tags: Friday B-Movie, Movie, SciFi/Fantasy
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Monday, April 27th, 2009
Princess of Wands by John Ringo
A slightly different hero than the genre usally sees in this modern day horror/adventure tale by NY Times best selling author John Ringo.
Barbara Everett is a Christian soccer mom from the southeastern United States. Who just happens to an expert in martial arts and combat shooting. Which comes in handy when Lovecraftian evil comes a calling on her quiet vacation spot. This book is actually a collection of several stories, including one that takes place mostly at a SciFi/Fantasy con. A lot of industry inside baseball in that one, which makes it way cool.
Monday Book Pick Archive
Tags: Baen Books, book, horror, John Ringo, Lovecraft, Martial Arts, Monday Book Pick, SciFi/Fantasy
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