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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: Weird fiction
The City and the Stars, by Arthur C. Clarke
I have such a big backlog of books to blog about — even though I’ve been struggling to focus on reading for fun! But there are so many good books that I’ve read, from a variety of eras and writers, … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
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Dreadnought, by April Daniels
A young girl, who is alienated from her friends and family because she feels she must hide who she truly is, witnesses a battle between the world’s greatest superhero, Dreadnought, and a mysterious powerful new enemy. In the end, Dreadnought … Continue reading
Posted in Adventure fiction, Science fiction
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Of Men and Monsters, by William Tenn
I’ve noted a few times already that the series of SF Masterworks released by the Orion Publishing Group is a great way to get exposed to some great science fiction that has otherwise fallen off the radar in recent years. … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
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Nicola Griffith’s Ammonite (1992)
I’ve been quite interested in reading more science fiction in recent months, to make up for my lack of knowledge about the field. It so turns out that The Orion Publishing Group has released an extensive series called “SF Masterworks” … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
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The Broken Earth Trilogy, by N.K. Jemisin
Let’s start with the end of the world, why don’t we? Get it over with and move on to more interesting things. So begins the beautiful, haunting, and apocalyptic Broken Earth Trilogy, written by N.K. Jemisin. It begins with The … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction, Science fiction
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Fred Saberhagen’s Brother Assassin
An army of intelligent war machines are dedicated to the utter annihilation of humanity. When they begin to lose their war in the present, they send an unstoppable cybernetic assassin back into the past to kill a key figure in … Continue reading
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Somnium, by Johannes Kepler
I’ve had an interest for a while in ridiculously old science fiction, such as Margaret Cavendish’s 1666 novel The Blazing World, as well as science fiction written by prominent scientists, such as Simon Newcomb’s His Wisdom the Defender (1900), Robert … Continue reading
Posted in Physics, Science fiction
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The Stories of Ibis, by Hiroshi Yamamoto
I have a long backlog of book blogging to do, but I had to jump and do the back of the queue first. Every once in a while I read a book that is so thought provoking and moving to … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
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The Cadaver of Gideon Wyck, by Alexander Laing
Got a few physics blog posts in the pipeline, but in the meantime I’m still catching up on a lot of book blogging! I’ve had The Cadaver of Gideon Wyck (1934) in my library for some time, as I picked … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Mystery/thriller, Science fiction
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City of Darkness, by Ben Bova
I’ve recently been in a mood to shop used bookstores as well as read obscure science fiction. This dangerous combination has resulted in me purchasing a number of books by well-known authors that have been forgotten, probably for the best. … Continue reading
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