The Many-Colored Land
{4.5/5} “The notion that time-travelers might disrupt the present world by meddling with the past had seriously troubled Madame Guderian for many weeks after the departure of Karl Josef Richter. She had concluded at last that such a paradox must be impossible, since the past is already manifest in the present, with the continuum sustained […]
The Andromeda Strain
{4/5} “Scientific research was much like prospecting: you went out and you hunted, armed with your maps and your instruments, but in the end your preparations did not matter, or even your intuition. You needed your luck, and whatever benefits accrued to the diligent, through sheer, grinding hard work.” When a satellite is brought down […]
Hitchers
{4.5/5} “My success came by standing on the shoulders of someone I hadn’t even liked, who had expressly forbidden me from doing what I did. On his death bed.” Finn’s wife Lorena was struck by lightning and died two years ago. Now he’s trying to date again, but it’s tough. Finn is a cartoonist — […]
Star Trek Typhon Pact: Paths of Disharmony
{4.5/5} “‘So far,’ Jean-Luc replied, ‘every move the Typhon Pact has made, regardless of the ultimate goal, has been carried out with deliberation and patience. Whatever they’re doing, it’s for a reason.’” Andor, one of the founding members of the Federation, was hit hard by the Borg and it’s facing a problem specific to their people — […]
Star Trek: Rough Beasts of Empire
{4.5/5} “Modern Vulcan culture focuses on the individual mastery of emotion as well as an everyday reliance on logic… This, of course, contrasts with Romulan cultural norms.” Spock is on Romulus, promoting the reunification of Vulcans and Romulans, when he’s attacked by a Reman and almost killed. Who sent the Reman to try to kill him? Romulan […]
All-time best SF & fantasy novels & stories, v2
The other day I posted my first thoughts on how I would vote in the Locus poll, which is open until the end of the month. I’ve changed a small number of things and added some runner ups. One thing that I neglected the first time was that the order of the votes matters — I tried this […]
Star Trek Typhon Pact: Seize the Fire
{4.5/5} “What do you propose I do about it? Do you expect the warrior caste to intimidate the local star into better behavior?” The starship Titan under the command of Captain Riker has discovered evidence that an ancient civilization had technology like the Genesis device to convert planets from lifelessness to life. Meanwhile the Gorn […]
Star Trek Typhon Pact: Zero Sum Game
{4.5/5} “‘In Simon Says, the losers don’t get shot in the head.’ ‘They do in the original Klingon version.’” Dr. Julian Bashir has been recruited for a dangerous mission — infiltrate the Breen and sabotage their development of the slipstream drive. His accomplice is Sarina Douglas, who works for Starfleet Intelligence — Bashir has met […]
All-time best SF & fantasy novels & stories
Locus is going to do a poll to find out what science fiction and fantasy novels and stories are the all-time best (they’ve done this a few times before but not in years). The categories are science fiction novel, fantasy novel, novella, novelette, and short story. They’re also diving the poll into 20th century (10 […]
The Eyes of the Overworld
{4/5} “I dimly recall that I inhabit a sty and devour the coarsest of food — but the subjective reality is that I inhabit a glorious palace and dine on splendid viands among the princes and princesses who are my peers. It is explained thus: the demon Underherd looked from the sub-world to this one; […]