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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
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
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In the Walls of Eryx, by H.P. Lovecraft and Kenneth J. Sterling
A post about another invisibility science fiction story, in anticipation of the release of my non-fiction book Invisibility: The History and Science of How Not to Be Seen! When I started researching invisibility stories, I was not only surprised by … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Lovecraft, Science fiction
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Raiders Invisible, by D.W. Hall
Originally posted on Skulls in the Stars:
I am losing my mind. So: in the process of tracking down Rousseau’s The Invisible Death a few days ago, I learned that there is another story about invisibility, with almost the exact…
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The Invisible Death, by Victor Rousseau
Originally posted on Skulls in the Stars:
Will I ever run out of vintage science fiction stories about invisibility to write about? I hope so, because otherwise my book draft will never be polished off. Some authors of weird fiction…
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Valley of Invisible Men, by Edmond Hamilton
My upcoming book on Invisibility includes an Invisibibliography of all the invisibility stories I found before finishing the draft. As the following story indicates, there are still more to be found… I am amazed that I can still find even … Continue reading
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For Love, by Algis Budrys
Okay, we’re only about two weeks away until the release of my latest popular science book, Invisibility: The history and science of How Not to Be Seen! In the run-up, I thought I’d reblog my old series of posts on … Continue reading
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Priestess of the Moon, by Ray Cummings
More invisibility? Okay, sure, why not. I may be cursed to blog about invisibility in fiction for the rest of my life. While preparing a post about McGivern’s “The Visible Invisible Man,” I suddenly realized that there is another story … Continue reading
Posted in Invisibility, Science fiction
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