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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 Man Who Rocked the Earth, by Arthur Train and Robert Williams Wood
A few posts ago, I noted that physicist R.W. Wood was one of the earliest scientists to contemplate issues of invisibility. While researching his work, I noted that he was also a science fiction author, having penned two books with … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
11 Comments
Giants From Eternity, by Manly Wade Wellman
Having recently worked through Manly Wade Wellman’s wonderful Silver John novels, I thought I would take a look at some of his other speculative fiction. Thanks to all my Silver John purchases on Amazon, other Wellman novels have percolated up … Continue reading
Posted in Weird fiction
13 Comments
Manly Wade Wellman’s Silver John novels
A few months ago, The Ridger noted the birthday of weird fiction author Manly Wade Wellman, and introduced me to his character “John the Balladeer”, also known as “Silver John” but typically just known as “John”: an Appalachian mountain man … Continue reading
Posted in Weird fiction
10 Comments
Johnston McCulley’s The Bat Strikes Again and Again!
Name this scene: Yet he was one man working alone against the crooks and the corrupt politicians who went hand in glove with the evil forces of the underworld. For that reason he must become a figure of sinister import … Continue reading
Posted in Adventure fiction, Mystery/thriller
5 Comments
The Time Axis by Henry Kuttner
The more I read of Henry Kuttner, the more ashamed I am that I didn’t read all of his works long ago! Henry Kuttner (1915-1958) was a versatile writer of pretty much every genre of weird fiction imaginable: science fiction, … Continue reading
Posted in Adventure fiction, Mathematics, Weird fiction
7 Comments
Lord Dunsany’s Pegana
A bit over a month ago, I decided to read a few of Lord Dunsany’s plays after reading Lovecraft’s glowing review of them in Supernatural Horror in Literature. The plays are wonderfully eerie and capture the spirit of ancient myths … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction, Lovecraft
4 Comments
Fletcher Pratt’s The Well of the Unicorn
Though I’m quite well read these days with respect to pulp fiction of the early 1900s, I’m much less familiar with those genres which followed, namely science fiction and fantasy. Occasionally, however, my literary wanderings cross my path with something … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction
3 Comments
Francis Stevens’ The Nightmare and Other Tales of Dark Fantasy
In my readings for this blog, I am constantly surprised by how many truly excellent authors and works of weird fiction have been (mostly) lost in the passage of time. Fortunately, a number of publishers have valiantly taken up the … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Weird fiction
5 Comments
Bertram Mitford’s The King’s Assegai
Those who have been reading this blog for a while know that I’ve become a really big fan of Bertram Mitford (1855-1914). His novels, written in the late 1800s, are on the surface adventure novels which draw on his experiences … Continue reading
Posted in Adventure fiction, Fantasy fiction
1 Comment
Henry Kuttner’s Thunder Jim Wade
Any time I see a book with Henry Kuttner‘s name on it, I pay attention — Kuttner was a masterful author who wrote some true classics of science fiction and fantasy, including one of my favorite stories of all time, … Continue reading
Posted in Adventure fiction, Robert E. Howard
2 Comments
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