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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: Science fiction
Night of the Big Heat, by John Lymington
I don’t know exactly what first drew my attention to Night of the Big Heat (1959), by John Lymington. I suspect I was browsing through some Wikipedia posts about alien invasion movies, and caught sight of the 1967 film adaptation … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Science fiction
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The Little Black Bag, by C.M. Kornbluth
As long as I’ve been having fun tracking down classic science fiction stories that I absolutely love, let me share at least one more! “The Little Black Bag,” by C.M. Kornbluth, first appeared in the July 1950 issue of Astounding … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
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Prisoner of the Vampires of Mars, by Gustave Le Rouge
Sometimes you just have to read a book because of its title. This was certainly the case when I decided I wanted to read Prisoner of the Vampires of Mars (1908-1909), by Gustave Le Rouge! Like, the title has everything! … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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Relook at “Giants From Eternity,” by Manly Wade Wellman
In my investigations of classic pulp magazines over the past year, I’ve come across some classic stories and real gems that I had forgotten about. One of these guilty pleasures is “Giants From Eternity,” by Manly Wade Wellman, published in … Continue reading
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A Subway Named Mobius, by A.J. Deutsch
I’ve spent a lot of time talking about short stories about invisibility, but my searches have occasionally reminded me of some of my other favorite, non-invisibility-related, science fiction stories. Today I thought I’d take a short look at “A Subway … Continue reading
Posted in Mathematics, Science fiction
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Rogue Moon, by Algis Budrys
Oh, what the heck — as long as I’m thinking of Algis Budrys’ work, and I’m still on a blogging roll, let me say a few words about his most famous novel Rogue Moon (1960). I read it on a … Continue reading
Posted in Science fiction
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Hard Landing, by Algis Budrys
Some time ago, I read Rogue Moon (1960), by Algis Budrys, a classic science fiction novel about an alien deathtrap maze discovered on the moon and the man willing to die over and over again to discover its secrets. I … Continue reading
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Invisible Monsters, by John Benyon Harris
Another post about invisibility in science fiction! All because I want to make dang sure that everybody knows that I have a book out about the history and science of invisibility! I’ve seen just about everything in science fiction stories … Continue reading
Posted in Horror, Invisibility, Science fiction
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Three Miles Down, by Harry Turtledove
It is curiously that I’ve never read any works by Harry Turtledove until now. He is an incredibly prolific author famed for his alternate histories, such as his Southern Victory series about the South winning the Civil War and his … Continue reading
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The Invisible City, by Clark Ashton Smith
How many more invisibility stories in science fiction and horror can I find? I’m not even close to being done! In the meantime, remember that my book on the history and science of invisibility is now available! Just as there … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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