One of the interesting side effects of Star Wars: The Last Jedi is watching fans approach to the material they love. I can respect people critiquing the material. What the creator did right and what they got wrong is a fine discussion. Art, being subjective, means your own personal interpretation and experience is the right … Continue reading The Entitlement of Fans
Science Fiction
Review: The Ballad of Black Tom
Fiction at its best lets us experience a life different than our own. It expands our perspective and allows us to practice empathy. If we're mindful, we can learn about the marginalized, about the oppressed, and about those who struggle daily to survive. A good story can show us the survival mechanisms that others need … Continue reading Review: The Ballad of Black Tom
Listening to The Demon Cycle
Audiobooks are a large part of how I consume books. They make riding in the car much more enjoyable. Mostly, I listen to audiobooks that I've read in print form first. They're helpful when a new installment in a series is coming out; I can listen to the previous book and get ready for the … Continue reading Listening to The Demon Cycle
Review: The Nine
Fantasy offers us a variety of takes on religion. From Martin's Sparrows to Pratchett's Omnians, religion add flavor and plausibility to a secondary world. It is a part of the human condition, and good fantasy treats it with same complexity as any other aspect of humanity. The worldbuilding that I appreciate does not pose faith … Continue reading Review: The Nine
The Dangers of a Shortened Season
Game of Thrones is a favorite show of mine. It is a must watch for me and Sue, and during the week, friends and I will dissect the show and speculate on upcoming episodes or longer story arcs. The political machinations, the emotional beats, the terrific visuals, and the excellent storytelling make for a satisfying … Continue reading The Dangers of a Shortened Season
Review: Noumenon
Sometimes, a book or song or movie will come along at just the right time and strike a resounding chord. Noumenon hit that sweet spot for me. On my blog, I’ve been thinking about generation ships. Suddenly, the stars aligned, and Harper Voyager gave me the opportunity to review Noumenon. It was SF love at … Continue reading Review: Noumenon
Noumenon and Coincidence
This week Harper Voyager granted me access to an advanced reader copy of Noumenon by Marina J. Lostetter. The first chapter is about - wait for it - a generation ship project, sort of. Part of chapter one has characters discussing a long term space travel project, and I loved it. My blog project for … Continue reading Noumenon and Coincidence
You Know What They Say About Assumptions – Generation Ships
Generation ships are important to science fiction for the fact that these giant vessels are sent out on a one way voyage into the unknown. The following article is part of a series exploring creative ways to make generation ships viable. Part one was an overall introduction to this series. But before we jump right … Continue reading You Know What They Say About Assumptions – Generation Ships
Review: The Darkness That Comes Before
Years ago, I saw rave reviews for this debut novel, The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker. Each review highlighted the book's departure from the standard western European setting for an epic fantasy. Based on my reading at the time, that was enough to sell me. I read it back when I lived … Continue reading Review: The Darkness That Comes Before
Generation Ships and Stories
If curiosity drives human exploration, then stories are the both the spark and the fuel of curiosity. Stories are a method of exploration all on their own. They allow us to remember the past but also to extrapolate the future. In the genre of science fiction, stories allow us to postulate a future while commenting … Continue reading Generation Ships and Stories