2010-02-08T15:13:29Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1 Movable Type Copyright (c) 2010 2010-02-08T15:13:29Z 2010-02-08T13:10:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.818 2010-02-08T13:10:00Z

To reveal my hand before delving any deeper, the recent collection within SF of which this book most reminded me was Kelly Link's Magic for Beginners.

Dan Hartland book review Magic for Beginners.]]> 2010-02-05T08:00:03Z 2010-02-05T08:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.834 2010-02-05T08:00:00Z

Ideology, for all its apparent abstraction, tends to be personal; and differences in ideology are often woven into the very fabric of family relations, accentuating other differences.

L. Timmel Duchamp book review Ideology, for all its apparent abstraction, tends to be personal; and differences in ideology are often woven into the very fabric of family relations, accentuating other differences. 2010-02-03T08:33:42Z 2010-02-03T08:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.839 2010-02-03T08:00:00Z

It is, of course, far easier to make a triffid walk on the page than on the screen.

C. B. Harvey film review tv review It is, of course, far easier to make a triffid walk on the page than on the screen. 2010-02-01T13:11:55Z 2010-02-01T13:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.822 2010-02-01T13:00:00Z

With the change of setting, both authors have replaced the magical, the fantastic, the outlandish and the weird with determinedly rationalist explanations.

Paul Kincaid book review With the change of setting, both authors have replaced the magical, the fantastic, the outlandish and the weird with determinedly rationalist explanations. 2010-01-29T10:01:20Z 2010-01-29T08:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.837 2010-01-29T08:00:00Z

If I jumped right in and described the webcomics of Jessica McLeod and Edward J. Grug III as "cute," I feel certain a large percentage of readers would sigh wearily, roll their eyes, and click away to some other portion of the phantasmagorical extravaganza that is the Strange Horizons website.

Michael H. Payne comic review Strange Horizons website.]]> 2010-01-27T12:14:43Z 2010-01-27T08:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.833 2010-01-27T08:00:00Z

Even if, or perhaps especially if, some of the popular choices don't exactly track with the definition—as is certainly the case with this first shortlist—having a theme provides plenty of hooks for further discussion and food for thought.

Nic Clarke shortlist overview Even if, or perhaps especially if, some of the popular choices don't exactly track with the definition—as is certainly the case with this first shortlist—having a theme provides plenty of hooks for further discussion and food for thought. 2010-02-04T12:39:47Z 2010-01-25T13:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.832 2010-01-25T13:00:00Z

What do they mean by “in the spirit of David Gemmell”? According to the same webpage, what they are looking for is something that grabs the reader immediately, with pace (“you know, books that you're STILL reading at three in the morning!”), characters to root for, and convincing world-building. Stories, in other words, that take hold and won't let go until the final page—the reason we all started reading fantasy in the first place. Quality of prose goes unmentioned, but I'm afraid it won't in this review; writing that makes me want to stab my own eyes out tends to interfere with my desire to still be reading at three in the morning. I'm fussy like that.

Nic Clarke shortlist overview
Quality of prose goes unmentioned, but I'm afraid it won't in this review; writing that makes me want to stab my own eyes out tends to interfere with my desire to still be reading at three in the morning. I'm fussy like that.]]> 2010-01-22T08:00:03Z 2010-01-22T08:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.817 2010-01-22T08:00:00Z

Margaret Ronald's second Evie Scelan novel, Wild Hunt, continues to showcase the author's talent for combining drama, chills, and hilarity into a compulsively readable caper.

Hannah Strom-Martin book review Wild Hunt, continues to showcase the author's talent for combining drama, chills, and hilarity into a compulsively readable caper. ]]> 2010-01-20T08:00:03Z 2010-01-20T08:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.819 2010-01-20T08:00:00Z

Though one of Campbell's lesser-known works, Cast a Deadly Spell was ahead of its time in many respects, featuring stylistic and narrative elements that would become standard in many future genre productions.

Raz Greenberg tv review Cast a Deadly Spell was ahead of its time in many respects, featuring stylistic and narrative elements that would become standard in many future genre productions.]]> 2010-01-18T14:05:35Z 2010-01-18T13:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.820 2010-01-18T13:00:00Z

There are far more similarities between The Year Of The Flood and The Rapture than I was expecting.

Martin Lewis The Year Of The Flood and The Rapture than I was expecting. ]]> 2010-01-18T06:58:35Z 2010-01-15T08:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.826 2010-01-15T08:00:00Z

Tony Keen: In many ways, it is emblematic of Davies' entire five-year stint on the show—bits of it are good, and bits of it aren't. Tim Phipps: It’s got heart, this show. It’s not always in the right place, but it is always there.

Tony Keen and Tim Phipps tv review Tony Keen: In many ways, it is emblematic of Davies' entire five-year stint on the show—bits of it are good, and bits of it aren't.

Tim Phipps: It’s got heart, this show. It’s not always in the right place, but it is always there. ]]> 2010-01-13T08:00:03Z 2010-01-13T08:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.825 2010-01-13T08:00:00Z

Holmes is, in short, the closest thing to a King Arthur or a Robin Hood that the modern age has produced. He is, despite a canonical body of accomplished literature, a creature of the popular imagination, endlessly refigured and—key, this—re-energised.

Dan Hartland film review Holmes is, in short, the closest thing to a King Arthur or a Robin Hood that the modern age has produced. He is, despite a canonical body of accomplished literature, a creature of the popular imagination, endlessly refigured and—key, this—re-energised. 2010-01-11T16:00:02Z 2010-01-11T16:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.827 2010-01-11T16:00:00Z

The Other Lands is a more confident, more exuberant, and more unusual epic fantasy than The War with the Mein, but loses none of its predecessor's scope or familiar pleasures.

Niall Harrison book review The Other Lands is a more confident, more exuberant, and more unusual epic fantasy than The War with the Mein, but loses none of its predecessor's scope or familiar pleasures. ]]> 2010-01-08T09:18:43Z 2010-01-08T08:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.823 2010-01-08T08:00:00Z

If I had to sum up The Cardinal's Blades in two words, they would be: great fun.

Kari Sperring book review The Cardinal's Blades in two words, they would be: great fun. ]]> 2010-01-06T08:36:00Z 2010-01-06T08:00:00Z tag:www.strangehorizons.com,2010:/reviews/1.824 2010-01-06T08:00:00Z

When one likes the film quite a lot, as I do, it becomes necessary to address critiques which have some validity, and also to look at the extent to which Cameron intermittently, but not unintelligently, pre-emptively covered at least some of the arguments raised against him.

Roz Kaveney film review When one likes the film quite a lot, as I do, it becomes necessary to address critiques which have some validity, and also to look at the extent to which Cameron intermittently, but not unintelligently, pre-emptively covered at least some of the arguments raised against him.