-
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
Todd Strasser’s “The Wave”
I haven’t had the opportunity to talk about any weird fiction for a while, and I thought I’d get back on the horse by discussing a short novel that technically isn’t “weird fiction”, but it definitely is weird and fiction! … Continue reading
Posted in Weird fiction
3 Comments
Richard Marsh’s Between the Dark and the Daylight (1902)
If you’ve followed this blog for any period of time, you know I’m a big fan of the writings of Richard Marsh (1857-1915). I’ve reviewed a number of his works on this blog, and Valancourt Books has been doing a … Continue reading
Posted in Weird fiction
Leave a comment
T.C. McCarthy’s “Germline”
I’m not particularly well-versed in science fiction — at least current science fiction — but occasionally I see something that really intrigues me. I’ve always found novels about future warfare particularly compelling, such as Robert Heinlein’s famous/infamous Starship Troopers (1959), John … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
Leave a comment
Isaac Newton… Father of invisibility physics?
My blog has been a good impetus to research a number of interesting scientific topics more deeply than I would otherwise have had the ambition to do. For instance, since the blog’s inception, I’ve been pushing the origins of “invisibility physics” … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Invisibility, Science fiction
2 Comments
Nick Mamatas’ Sensation
I hadn’t thought about it much before, but secret societies have long been a reliable element in weird fiction of all varieties. These societies range from the legendary Illuminati to the very real (and less sinister) Freemasons, to fictional … Continue reading
Posted in Weird fiction
4 Comments
John Jacob Astor’s A Journey in Other Worlds
The exploration of old and relatively unknown science fiction can be rewarding on many levels. In addition to seeing the author’s vision of the future, one also gets a snapshot of the accepted science of the time, usually riddled with … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
4 Comments
H.G. Wells’ The World Set Free (1914)
Mention the name “H.G. Wells” to anyone, and they’ll almost certainly be able to name a few of his books. Most of us know The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
6 Comments
Rosa Praed’s Fugitive Anne (1902)
Since nearly the beginning of my blog, I’ve been a fan of Valancourt Books, which publishes a lot of wonderful and neglected works from the 19th and early 20th centuries. I’ve blogged about a lot of them, some of which … Continue reading
Posted in Adventure fiction
Leave a comment
Thomas Berger’s Neighbors
The fiction that I read and discuss on this blog falls under the broad but relatively unknown category of “weird fiction”, which can include fantasy, sci-fi and horror as well as plenty of stories that are genuinely unclassifiable. Most of … Continue reading
Posted in Weird fiction
3 Comments
What did Robert E. Howard think of women?
In reading classic weird fiction of the 1930s an earlier, one must always keep in mind that the authors were a product of their time. Racism and sexism are sadly common in reading older stories, and the depiction of negative … Continue reading
Posted in Robert E. Howard
14 Comments
Skulls in the Stars 