I spend a great deal of my time every day reading speculative science fiction. The rest of my time is spent asking the questions and questioning the answers that the science fiction I read creates. All of the stories I post contain elements of profound contemplation, varying philosophy, metaphysics, and theoretical pondering. The authors that create these stories are among my heroes in this reality, and I very much want to share them with you. Although I read a great deal more than the stories I will post in these short reviews, I only want to share those pieces of text/audio that really stick with me and force my mind to ponder life, the universe, and everything. While I am delighted with nearly all that I read in this genre, I will make an attempt to only present the best of the best.
Writing - The quality of the writing. I specifically rate the writing on how well it is able to convey to me the action, thoughts, emotions, etc. of the story.
Creativity- Simply put, this rating is a measure of the degree of imagination that exists in the writing. How unique and new was the story? Is it something I have seen done over and over again? I also factor into this rating category interesting literary techniques such as stylish ways to present chapters or different parts of the story.
Intrigue- This rating represents the stories ability to keep me interested. Did I get bored and have to fight my way through to the end? Or did I lose myself and end up somewhere else entirely?
Overall- My general impression of the story. How much I enjoyed it from beginning to end, and/or how much it affected me.
Gossamer by Stephen Baxter -short story-
Blow Ups Happen by Robert Heinlein -short story-
Overall 4
A story written before World War 2. The world's energy depends on the continuation of a highly unstable nuclear reactor (that's right, Heinlien wrote about nuclear technology before it was even used on a global scale). One little mistake means the obliteration of most of Earth's population. Men watch the workers just in case. Men watch the watchers just in case. And just in case, men watch the watchers watching. Needless to say, tension is very high.
Read it here.
"Dr. Silard waited unhappily for the ensuing twenty minutes until his own relief arrived. Perhaps he had been hasty. Maybe he was wrong in thinking that Harper had at last broken under the strain of tending the most dangerous machine in the world—an atomic power plant. But if he had made a mistake, it had to be on the safe side—slips must not happen in this business; not when a slip might result in the atomic detonation of two and a half tons of uranium.
Writing 5 Creativity 3.5 Intrigue 3.5
Overall 4
A story written before World War 2. The world's energy depends on the continuation of a highly unstable nuclear reactor (that's right, Heinlien wrote about nuclear technology before it was even used on a global scale). One little mistake means the obliteration of most of Earth's population. Men watch the workers just in case. Men watch the watchers just in case. And just in case, men watch the watchers watching. Needless to say, tension is very high.
Read it here.
"Dr. Silard waited unhappily for the ensuing twenty minutes until his own relief arrived. Perhaps he had been hasty. Maybe he was wrong in thinking that Harper had at last broken under the strain of tending the most dangerous machine in the world—an atomic power plant. But if he had made a mistake, it had to be on the safe side—slips must not happen in this business; not when a slip might result in the atomic detonation of two and a half tons of uranium.
The Feeling of Power by Isaac Asimov -short story-
Overall 4
In an age dominated by computers that do all calculations, being able to do simple mental math borders on witchcraft.
Read it here.
""Aub! How much is nine times seven?"
Aub hesitated a moment. His pale eyes glimmered with a feeble anxiety. "Sixty-three," he
said. Congressman Brant lifted his eyebrows. "Is that right?"
"Check it for yourself, Congressman."
The congressman took out his pocket computer, nudged the milled edges twice, looked at its face as it lay there in the palm of his hand, and put it back. He said, "Is this the gift you brought us here to demonstrate. An illusionist?"
Writing 4.5 Creativity 3.5 Intrigue 4
Overall 4
In an age dominated by computers that do all calculations, being able to do simple mental math borders on witchcraft.
Read it here.
""Aub! How much is nine times seven?"
Aub hesitated a moment. His pale eyes glimmered with a feeble anxiety. "Sixty-three," he
said. Congressman Brant lifted his eyebrows. "Is that right?"
"Check it for yourself, Congressman."
The congressman took out his pocket computer, nudged the milled edges twice, looked at its face as it lay there in the palm of his hand, and put it back. He said, "Is this the gift you brought us here to demonstrate. An illusionist?"
Ubik by Philip K. Dick -novel-
Overall 5+
Dick crafts a world that details the mundane and the profound; doors cost a nickel to use and the dead can be temporarily preserved within their own mind. Ubik is the only salvation, but what is it? A zany and highly addictive story. Get a free subscription of Ubik by following my blog. heh.
“We are served by organic ghosts, he thought, who, speaking and writing, pass through this our new environment. Watching, wise, physical ghosts from the full-life world, elements of which have become for us invading but agreeable splinters of a substance that pulsates like a former heart.”
Writing 5+ Creativity 5+ Intrigue 5+
Overall 5+
Dick crafts a world that details the mundane and the profound; doors cost a nickel to use and the dead can be temporarily preserved within their own mind. Ubik is the only salvation, but what is it? A zany and highly addictive story. Get a free subscription of Ubik by following my blog. heh.
“We are served by organic ghosts, he thought, who, speaking and writing, pass through this our new environment. Watching, wise, physical ghosts from the full-life world, elements of which have become for us invading but agreeable splinters of a substance that pulsates like a former heart.”
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny -novel-
Overall 5+
Buddhist and Hindu philosophy/characterization set in an ultra advanced, action packed world! A mythological, energy filled story that will have you gritting your teeth from beginning to end! Because there are so many characters and profound yet potentially foreign ideas in this story, I have included a link to the wiki page which includes a surplus of information to help the reader fully experience the novel's alluring grandeur.
"His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, however, and called himself Sam. He never claimed to be a god, but he never claimed not to be a god."
Writing 5 Creativity 5+ Intrigue 5
Overall 5+
Buddhist and Hindu philosophy/characterization set in an ultra advanced, action packed world! A mythological, energy filled story that will have you gritting your teeth from beginning to end! Because there are so many characters and profound yet potentially foreign ideas in this story, I have included a link to the wiki page which includes a surplus of information to help the reader fully experience the novel's alluring grandeur.
"His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, however, and called himself Sam. He never claimed to be a god, but he never claimed not to be a god."
Writing 5 Creativity 4.5 Intrigue 4.5
Have a heaping serving of a healthy dose of Stephen Baxter. Worm hole failure and an undiscovered alien species within our own solar system to name just a few of the themes that make this story unforgettable. Two women explore Pluto and its moon while they attempt to find a way back from the remoteness and desolation of the outer solar system.
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #1 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #2 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #3 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #4 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #5 click here
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To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #9 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #10 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #11 click here
To view Science/Speculative Fiction Review #12 click here
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