Category Archives: science fiction

It’s not so lonely out in space: three to celebrate Apollo 11

Posted on July 20, 2021 by smellincoffee

Fifty-two years ago, men from Earth touched down on the moon and inaugurated a new era in human exploration. I usually re-watch From the Earth to the Moon (a Tom Hanks docu-drama that is in my “Everything is burning but … Continue reading →

Posted in Classics and Literary, Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Project Hail Mary | #agora

Posted on June 7, 2021 by smellincoffee

Ryland Grace just woke up strapped to a medical bed with two dead roommates. That’s not the least of his problem, though: he’s in space, and he doesn’t know why. Eventually, he’ll figure that out; his memory will return. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Three cheers for anarchy — three reads, anyway

Posted on June 1, 2021 by smellincoffee

While everyone else was honoring dead soldiers by buying things, shooting off fireworks (dear neighbors: why?), and grilling out, I was in bed all weekend with a case of food poisoning. Naturally, I wound up reading books about anarchism and … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reflection, Religion and Philosophy, science fiction | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Tuesday trifecta: hacking, prepping, and making shine

Posted on March 9, 2021 by smellincoffee

I’ve been dog & cat-sitting away from my computer since last week, and without a TV or computer to distract me I’ve been doing that ‘reading’ thing. First up, I read Just in Case, a prepping-for-newbies book the library acquired … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews, science fiction, Society and Culture | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Ready Player Two: Spoiler Free

Posted on November 26, 2020 by smellincoffee

Ready Player Two© Ernest Cline384 pages Ready Player One remains one of my favorite novels, ever; for me it is the Starburst jellybean of books, a perfect sweet spot between geekery and pop culture. I couldn’t wait to get my … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged | 3 Comments

Firefly: Generations

Posted on November 10, 2020 by smellincoffee

Firefly: Generations© 2020 Tim Lebbon384 pages A map won in a card game, given importance by River’s intuition, Kaylee’s recognition of an old name, and the fact that several people tried to murder Mal to take the map back, leads … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Drowning in books

Posted on November 3, 2020 by smellincoffee

This is something of a catch-up post. I’ve been slowly reading The Dictator’s Handbook, an impressively cynical analysis of political science, and had hoped to finish it by Election Day so I could post an amusingly-timed review. Between the hurricane … Continue reading →

Posted in General, history, science fiction | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Firefly: Ghost Machine

Posted on September 3, 2020 by smellincoffee

Firefly: Ghost Machine© 2020 James Lovegrove336 pages Mal Reynolds didn’t survive the Independence War by not trusting his gut. It was that same gut that told him to back away from this latest job of Badger’s. The item may have … Continue reading →

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The End of October

Posted on August 1, 2020 by smellincoffee

The End of October © 2020 Lawrence Wright 482 pages COVID-19 gotcha down? Cheer up! It could be worse. A lot worse. Like…the US president dying on live television, bleeding from the eyes worse.   The End of October was published … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Station Eleven

Posted on March 12, 2020 by smellincoffee

“I stood looking over my damaged home and tried to forget the sweetness of life on Earth.” In New York City, an acclaimed actor collapses in the middle of his King Lear performance. Hours later, the world as we know … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , | 9 Comments