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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. -
Tag Archives: books
The Tripods: The White Mountains, by John Christopher
Book 17 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! As is now default for me, my link to the book is through my bookshop dot org affiliate account. Before there was The Hunger Games, or Divergent, there was … Continue reading
Crypt of the Moon Spider, by Nathan Ballingrud
Book 16 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! The year is 1923. Veronica Brinkley is landing on the moon to get psychiatric treatment at the Barrowfield Home for the Treatment of the Melancholy. You didn’t read … Continue reading
Rise of the Zombie Bugs, by Mindy Weisberger
Book 15 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! Had a significant hiatus of reading due to life stresses, but still ahead on my goal. Zombies are everywhere in fiction these days, from The Last of Us … Continue reading
Twice as Dead, by Harry Turtledove
Book 14 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! Hard-boiled detective stories often start in a similar manner: a gritty private investigator has a gorgeous dame walk through his office door with a case — but that … Continue reading
Posted in Mystery/thriller, Weird fiction
Tagged book review, book-reviews, books, mystery, reviews
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My “Why I Love Horror” story!
The other day, I happened to see that my social media friend and super talented horror author Brian Keene is a contributor to a book of essays called Why I Love Horror, coming in September of this year. The book … Continue reading
Prince of Annwn, by Evangeline Walton
Book 13 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! A few weeks ago I visited some friends in Rochester and, as always, that was a good opportunity to play some boardgames and snoop around on their bookshelves … Continue reading
The Last Night to Kill Nazis, by David Agranoff
Book 12 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! With everything going on in the world lately, I needed to read something cathartic, and when I was at the bookstore David Agranoff’s 2023 horror novel The Last … Continue reading
Berserker’s Planet, by Fred Saberhagen
Book 11 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! Still going! Suddenly, I found myself back in a Fred Saberhagen mood. Saberhagen is one of those science fiction/fantasy authors who doesn’t get enough attention these days, considering … Continue reading
Posted in Fantasy fiction, Science fiction
Tagged book review, books, fantasy, Fiction, science fiction
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The Man of Numbers, by Keith Devlin
Book 9 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! Opted to switch to some history of science and mathematics to mix things up… Some books in my collection were things that caught my attention at the time … Continue reading
Posted in History of science, Mathematics
Tagged art, book review, books, History, renaissance
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A Light Most Hateful, by Hailey Piper
Book 8 for my 2025 goal of 30 books for the year! Continuing my current habit of flipping between a horror book and a sci-fi book. One of the best things about social media, amongst many, many downsides, is getting … Continue reading
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