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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: Fantasy fiction
Solomon Kane and Robert E. Howard’s religious beliefs
Now that I’m thinking of Solomon Kane, I thought I’d do a brief post about the character, his adventures, and the clear influence Howard’s religious beliefs had on both. Solomon Kane is a 16th century English Puritan, warrior and wanderer. … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction, Robert E. Howard
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Reincarnation in horror…
While on vacation, I stumbled across one of Brian Lumley’s early novels, Khai of Khem, a fantasy adventure story set in pre-historical ancient Egypt. One of the major plot points of the story is the idea that Khai has, in … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction, Horror, Robert E. Howard
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Robert E. Howard (indirectly) on religion
I’ve been kind of busy the past few days, preparing for the holidays (you hear me, Bill O’Reilly? I said ‘holiday’!!!), so I haven’t been able to post much. This seemed like a good time to share one of my … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction, Robert E. Howard
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Why I love iTunes
I’ve been waiting for well over a year for Season 3 of Avatar: The Last Airbender to appear on Nickelodeon. The season premiere date was shrouded in mystery until practically only a week before it actually appeared. Of course, I … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment, Fantasy fiction
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Exciting film projects which may never get made…
Here’s an interesting tidbit for Robert E. Howard fans: an animated film version of the Conan story Red Nails is in production. I stumbled across the web site for it a few weeks ago, and it looks like it is … Continue reading
Posted in Entertainment, Fantasy fiction, Robert E. Howard
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In the footsteps of Mythos… (updated)
Howard Phillips Lovecraft (1890-1937) is one of the most influential horror authors people have never heard of. He was a direct inspiration to most of the leading horror voices of this generation, including Stephen King and Ramsey Campbell.
Posted in Cemetery, Fantasy fiction, Lovecraft
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William Hope Hodgson’s The Night Land
There are a number of classic works of weird fantasy and horror which have been lost from the mainstream but are well worth a look. One of these is William Hope Hodgson’s The Night Land. Hodgson (1877-1918) was a colorful … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction
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