Recent ReviewsThe Secret History of Science Fiction edited by James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel 19 March 2010 Of course I want to believe them, I want to imagine that though the ghetto walls still stand they are less secure than they once were, that traffic now flows more freely in both directions across the boundaries. But how strong a case do they present? Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey 17 March 2010 Even when it's clearly wish fulfillment—or maybe because it is—Carey's writing wins us over. The Stone Dance of the Chameleon by Ricardo Pinto 15 March 2010 Pinto has created a work that possesses depth and complexity, juxtaposing beauty with horror to spectacular effect. 12 March 2010 Another way of framing the two stories I've discussed so far is perhaps to suggest that SF is fascinated by the point at which humans become inhuman. But if that's true, it's surely also true that it's fascinated by the point at which the inhuman becomes human. 10 March 2010 As I sit down to write this piece I am close to, but not quite at, the end of a four month trek through 2009's genre short fiction. Selected short fiction from 2009 08 March 2010 Here's my perspective on six standout stories published in 2009. In Great Waters by Kit Whitfield 05 March 2010 I found myself pulled both ways throughout, but the novel was more than saved for me because of Whitfield's masterful way of dramatizing and communicating various registers of strangeness, alienation, and subjectivity. The Brain Thief by Alexander Jablokov 03 March 2010 Things get weird very quickly. Unfortunately the novel loses steam almost as quickly, making for a somewhat unsatisfying read. 01 March 2010 Red Claw is nothing short of a catastrophe. The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart by Jesse Bullington 26 February 2010 After several days of arguing with myself over Jesse Bullington's debut novel The Sad Tale of the Brothers Grossbart, I'm forced to follow in the footsteps of many of the positive and even effusive reviews that The Brothers Grossbart has received, and hedge my criticism of the novel as those reviewers hedged their praise. 24 February 2010 Sarah Langan's third novel proves itself to be a worthwhile contribution to the history of haunted house stories. Heroes in the Wind by Robert E. Howard 22 February 2010 The rewards for the reader who successfully suspends disbelief in the hero and overlooks purple or melodramatic prose, are significant: vicarious excitement and entrĂ©e into a world of imaginary marvels. Howard becomes, as Clute says in his introduction, our "hypnopomp, " our guide into dreams, and we adventure among wonders. Chasing the Dragon by Justina Robson 19 February 2010 Chasing the Dragon is, as Malachi very nearly puts it at one point, about getting the band back together. View older reviews in our Archive, thanks to the kindness of our authors who allow us to keep their material online. |