Category Archives: science fiction

Mind’s Eye

Posted on May 31, 2017 by smellincoffee

© 2014 Douglas E Richards362 pages A man wakes in a dumpster, covered in blood. He has no idea who he is, but there are men trying to kill him.  This dumped stranger isn’t completely defenseless, however. he wakes to … Continue reading →

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From Narnia to a Space Odyssey

Posted on April 29, 2017 by smellincoffee

From Narnia to a Space Odyssey: The War of Ideas between Arthur C. Clarke and C.S. Lewis ed. Ryder Miller © 2003 175 pages First of all, reader, understand that the title of this book is overstated. It is not … Continue reading →

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Perelandra

Posted on April 4, 2017 by smellincoffee

Perelandra © 1943 C.S. Lewis 322 pages In Out of the Silent Planet, Dr. Erwin Ransom was kidnapped by two malevolent technologists who thought to offer him as a sacrifice to the ruler of Mars, a planet they were interested … Continue reading →

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Podcast of the Week: Science Fiction, Liberty, and Dystopia

Posted on March 15, 2017 by smellincoffee

“One of the great things of it, Tom, and this is where Orwell was such a genius —  in looking how language was being used as a form of manipulation. Orwell is always interested in propaganda and makes the point … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, science fiction | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Before Plan 9

Posted on February 9, 2017 by smellincoffee

Before Plan 9: Plans 1-8 From Outer Space© 2012 various authors354 pages TV Producer:”About the title…it’s highly inflammatory. What if we changed it to ‘Plan 9 from Outer Space’?” Ed Wood: …that’s ridiculous.  (From Ed Wood, starring Johnny Depp) Greetings, … Continue reading →

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The City on the Edge of Forever: the Original Teleplay

Posted on February 5, 2017 by smellincoffee

The City on the Edge of Forever: The Original Teleplay© 1996 Harlan Ellision, with numerous afterwords276 pages In the classic Star Trek episode, “The City on the Edge of Forever”, Captain Kirk must chase a mentally disturbed man into Earth’s … Continue reading →

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The Forever War

Posted on January 29, 2017 by smellincoffee

The Forever War© 1974 Joe Haldeman236 pages “I called to the waiter, ‘Bring me one of those Antares things’ Sitting here in a bar with an asexual cyborg who is probably the only other normal person on the whole damn … Continue reading →

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Short rounds: explosives and Martians

Posted on October 24, 2016 by smellincoffee

Tonight I finally gave up on Hayduke Lives!, the sequel to Edward Abbey’s Monkey Wrench Gang. The plot only arrives four-fifths of the way into the book, having been preceded by lots of stream-of-consciousness rambling, pointless arguments, and enough breast … Continue reading →

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World War Z

Posted on October 14, 2016 by smellincoffee

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War© 2006 Max Brooks352 pages Reading Night of the Living Trekkies put me in the mood for more weird fiction, and World War Z fits the bill!  Fictional, but not a … Continue reading →

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Night of the Living Trekkies

Posted on October 8, 2016 by smellincoffee

Night of the Living Trekkies© 2010 Kevin David Anderson256 pages Braaaains and braaaains, what is braaaaiiins?! Oh, reader, good times ahead.  When Jim Pike returned from Afghanistan as a psychologically scarred veteran, the last thing he wanted was responsibility. That’s … Continue reading →

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