Retro Review – The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn
A retro review that contends that Zahn’s trilogy should have been the basis for the second Star Wars film trilogy
The War Of The Worlds Retro Review
The War of the Worlds; a retro-review of the greatest alien invasion story of all time
The Foundation Trilogy Reread: Prelude to Foundation
The key to making Prelude to Foundation work is Seldon himself and, like many of Asimov’s other scientist-heroes, he works.
Some Thoughts On The SF Canons
Continuing thoughts on the SF Canon discussion, other voices heard from.
The Foundation Trilogy Reread: Foundation And Earth
What’s wrong with psychohistory?
The Foundation Trilogy Reread: Foundation’s Edge
The book’s greatest weakness, however, is that it ties the Foundation to the Robots universe. I don’t dislike the robots, but I think they’re a step too far for the universe.
The Foundation Trilogy Reread: Second Foundation
Very little was known about the Second Foundation, ensuring its survival in a hostile universe.
The Foundation Trilogy Reread: Foundation And Empire
Foundation and Empire presents the Foundation with a challenge from a past that cements it’s position, then knocks everything out of kilter – subverting the whole series.
The Foundation Trilogy Reread: Foundation
Asimov was feeling his way into the Foundation universe – and it’s largely unique character – and it shows.
The Foundation Trilogy Reread: Introduction
A modern day empire builder looks back on one of his influences in this re-read of the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov
Retro Review: Time Enough for Love by Robert A. Heinlein
Chris Nuttal[ offers his latest retro review of one of Heinlein’s more controversial, later novels.
Retro Review: Heinlein’s The Rolling Stones
A new look at an old Heinlein tale.
Heinlein in Reflection
Chris Nuttall summarizes his recent retro reviews and continues discussing one of fandom’s perpetual subjects.
Retro Review: Farnham’s Freehold by Robert Heinlein
Chris Nuttall takes a look at one of Heinlein’s most controversial novels.
Retro Review: Stranger in a Strange Land
Unlike Starship Troopers, Stranger in a Strange Land is an outdated novel.
Retro Review: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
There is something more than a little disturbing about how Luna treats woman…
Classic Battlestar Galactica – The Review
Battlestar Galactica’s flaws are outshined by the sheer amount of work that went into the series and, in many ways, the performance of the cast.
Retro Review: Starship Troopers
Chris Nuttal takes another look at Heinlein’s Starship Troopers.
Review: Netflix’s Death Note
Being a largely cerebral story, Death Note simply doesn’t lend itself very well to the TV screen. I was therefore unenthused when Netflix announced that it would turn Death Note into a movie.
Guest Editorial: A Character Who Happens to be Black
One of the charges leveled at the Sad Puppies is that they are against ‘diverse’ characters in books (and comics, movies, TV shows, etc.) The people who level these charges are, essentially, accusing the Sad Puppies of racism, that the only reason they could possibly have for objecting to these characters is their race (or gender, or sexuality, or whatever.) It is a fairly obvious rhetorical trap. By asserting that racism is the only reason to object to these characters, they brand the Sad Puppies as racists.
Review: Live Free or Die
Live Free or Die -John Ringo Reviewing Live Free or Die is a complicated task. I like the book, I think it’s the best Ringo book since Gust Front, but there are a handful of problems with it that gnaw at my mind the more I actually think about the story. In the very near […]
An Introduction to Schooled in Magic
Different worlds, different science. Chris Nuttall introduces us to one of his favorite themes.
The Real World Is A Messy Place
The Empire’s Core series (eight books in all) now has a new companion. Chris gives you the details.
Book Review: Black Magic Academy
Black Magic Academy isn’t your classic school story with magic. Not really.
Review: Warp Speed by Travis S. Taylor
I broke with my standard rule of not buying hardbacks from a new author until I’d actually read the work. Do I regret that decision? It’s hard to say…
Review: 1945 by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen
Without Hitler, Nazi Germany doesn’t declare war on the United States; instead, saner men take the helm and use more rational policies to bring the USSR to its knees
Review: The Draka Series
The world of the Draka is the dark reflection of our own world. The core idea behind the series is that refugees from British North America settle South Africa (captured in the war) instead of Canada.
Review: Himmler’s War
Himmler’s War by Robert Conroy Writing alternate history (and period fiction) is a tricky task. There is always the temptation to bend details for the sake of a good story – and then there will be some humourless reader who will then write long posts on why it couldn’t happen the way you suggested. I […]
Review: Crisis of Empire
Crisis of Empire (David Drake, Thomas T. Thomas, W.C. Dietz, Roger MacBride Allen and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.) -An Honorable Defence -Cluster Command -The War Machine -Crown of Empire Somewhat irritatingly, I was pointed to this series shortly after I first wrote The Empire’s Corps. It consists of four short novels set in the universe of […]
Review: First Citizen by Thomas T. Thomas
Paperback: 384 pages Publisher: Baen; First Edition edition (December 1, 1987) First Citizen by Thomas T. Thomas Julius Caesar is one of the few figures from Ancient History to be recognisable almost everywhere, although most of what people know about him is wrong. At base, Caesar was a mass of contradictions, often caused by Republican Rome’s deeply […]