What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is an interesting read if you don’t mind a bit of teleology. Kelly conceives of technology like an organism, which he calls the technium: “The technium is … Continue reading
The Lord of the Rings: J.R.R. Tolkien vs the Modern Age by David Brin My rating: 4 of 5 stars David Brin is a believer in progress, and pretty consistent about it. His Star Wars On Trial also makes many … Continue reading
Thor Meets Captain America by David Brin My rating: 4 of 5 stars This novelette was nominated for a Hugo award in 1987, and is a pure fantasy in the “Alternate History” genre. Gregory Benford was editing an anthology called … Continue reading
Signing Their Lives Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence by Denise Kiernan My rating: 3 of 5 stars This is the quintessential “bathroom reader”, a collection of short biographical sketches of the … Continue reading
The Door into Summer by Robert A. Heinlein My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is middle-period Heinlein, which means it is very readable in contrast to some of his later stuff that is for hard-core fans only. The viewpoint … Continue reading
Works of E. E. “Doc” Smith by E.E. “Doc” Smith My rating: 4 of 5 stars If you want to learn about Space Opera from the Golden Age, this is not a bad place to start. Smith is considered by … Continue reading
The Vortex Blaster by E.E. “Doc” Smith My rating: 4 of 5 stars The Vortex Blaster is set in Smith’s Lensman universe, and some Lensmen and the Galactic Patrol make an appearance, but is really a stand-alone novel that really … Continue reading
Triplanetary by E.E. “Doc” Smith My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is really a “prequel” written somewhat later, but in internal chronology it is the first in the Lensman series, and fills in some background. We are introduced to … Continue reading
Spacehounds of IPC by E.E. “Doc” Smith My rating: 3 of 5 stars The Spacehounds of IPC is the kind of book you could write back in the classic pulp age when everything was possible. The solar system could have … Continue reading
Skylark Three by E.E. “Doc” Smith My rating: 3 of 5 stars The Skylark Three is the second of four novels in Smith’s Skylark series. The three in the title refers to the third spaceship they built. Like most Smith … Continue reading
