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The author of Skulls in the Stars is a professor of physics, specializing in optical science, at UNC Charlotte. The blog covers topics in physics and optics, the history of science, classic pulp fantasy and horror fiction, and the surprising intersections between these areas. -
Category Archives: Horror
Agents of Dreamland, by Caitlin R. Kiernan
Taking a brief break from posts on quantum entanglement — will be back with more on that subject soon! Meanwhile… Caitlin R. Kiernan is a brilliant writer. This is an indisputable fact. Several years ago, I blogged about her beautiful, … Continue reading
Posted in Horror
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The Southern Reach trilogy, by Jeff VanderMeer
I’m not entirely sure why it took me three years to read Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach trilogy. One of his earlier novels, Finch, is on a very short list of “best books I’ve ever read.” I suspect that I simply … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Science fiction, Weird fiction
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Chills, by Mary SanGiovanni
I’ve been in a bit of a funk the past few weeks and haven’t been reading much. What I needed to get myself back on track was a nice solid bit of horror fiction, and fortunately I had on hand … Continue reading
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The Valancourt Book of Horror Stories
I’ve been following Valancourt Books almost since they started publishing books back in 2005 (and of course I’ve written a number of book intros for them). It has been really exciting to see them expand from their origins in reprinting … Continue reading
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The Doomed City, by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
The first indication that something is seriously wrong in the city is the arrival of the baboons. They appear without warning at the garbage dump by the hundreds, rapidly fanning out through the rest of the city and wreaking havoc … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Science fiction
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H.P. Lovecraft and the phantom planet
Science and science fiction go hand in hand, so to speak… but science and horror fiction? There are, in fact, more connections than one might think. A lot of modern science can be quite scary at first glance, and knowledgeable … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Lovecraft
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Archie Roy’s Devil in the Darkness
Valancourt Books has done a really amazing job of late in resurrecting the classic haunted house story, publishing a remarkable number of classic books that have been out of print for years. For instance, they have reprinted Michael McDowell’s The … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Personal
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Halloween Treats 2016
It’s that most wonderful time of year again, when the leaves change colors and the spirits become restless! In the “spirit” of Halloween, I again present a series of classic horror stories to properly get you in the mood. I’ve been … Continue reading
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Kecksies, by Marjorie Bowen
I suspect that most people are unaware of the pivotal role that publisher Arkham House played in the history of weird fiction. Founded in 1939 by authors and H.P. Lovecraft fans August Derleth and Donald Wandrei, the original goal of … Continue reading
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Chuck Wendig’s Invasive
Insects have long been ready protagonists for horror and thriller fiction. A few famous examples that come to mind are H.G. Wells’ 1903 story The Valley of Spiders and Carl Stephenson’s 1937 story Leiningen Versus the Ants. In the wild and terrifying … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Mystery/thriller
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