Category Archives: science fiction

All Fall Down

Posted on December 15, 2012 by smellincoffee

 Supervolcano: All Fall Down © 2012 Harry Turtledove 416 pages     YellowstoneNational Park is gone, replaced by a vast caldera that still ripples the air with its heat. The momentous eruption covered North America’s great-growing heartland in ash, ruining … Continue reading →

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Hominids

Posted on November 24, 2012 by smellincoffee

Hominids© 2003 Robert Sawyer448 pages “You manage to comfortably feed six billion people with plants?”“Well, ah, no,” said Mary. “About half a billion people don’t have enough to eat.”“That is very bad,” said Ponter, simply. Why did humans kill off … Continue reading →

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The Long Earth

Posted on November 16, 2012 by smellincoffee

The Long Earth© 2012 Terry Pratchett, Stephen Baxter400 pages Suppose there were an infinite succession of Earths, and travel between them was as easy as taking a step. A new age for humanity begins when a reclusive scientist posts plans … Continue reading →

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This Week at the Library (10 October)

Posted on October 10, 2012 by smellincoffee

Fall arrived rather suddenly this week, although I imagine the cooler temperatures won’t stay for too long. October 3rd was ‘der Tag der Deutschen Einheit’, or the day of German Unity. As I did with the United States and France … Continue reading →

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The Early Asimov

Posted on May 7, 2012 by smellincoffee

The Early Asimov, or, Eleven Years of Trying© 1972 Isaac Asimov400-500 pages Long-time readers know of my enormous affection for the good doctor Asimov; imagine my delight in finding this anthology of over two dozen of his earlier and previously … Continue reading →

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Lucifer’s Hammer

Posted on February 15, 2012 by smellincoffee

Lucifer’s Hammer© 1977 Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle629 pages The chances that Lucifer’s Hammer would hit Earth head-on were one in a million. Then one in a thousand. Then one in a hundred. And then… The eeriest part of the … Continue reading →

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A Journey to the Center of the Earth

Posted on February 5, 2012 by smellincoffee

A Journey to the Center of the Earth© 1864 Jules Verne291 pages “Is the Master out of his mind?” she asked me.I nodded.“And he’s taking you with him?”I nodded again.“Where?” she asked.I pointed towards the center of the Earth.“Into the … Continue reading →

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Supervolcano: Eruption

Posted on January 17, 2012 by smellincoffee

Supervolcano: Eruption© 2011 Harry Turtledove420 pages “I love the smell of hydrogen sulfide in the morning,” Daniel intoned. “Smells like…tenure.” p. 146 Sometimes, even Harry Turtledove must tire of penning novels based on World War II. I don’t know what … Continue reading →

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The Positronic Man

Posted on January 13, 2012 by smellincoffee

The Positronic Man© 1993 Isaac Asimov and Robert Silverberg290 pages This novel takes me back to high school, where at some point following the release of The Bicentennial Man starring Robin Williams, I checked it out and read my very first Asimov. … Continue reading →

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The Gods Themselves

Posted on August 31, 2011 by smellincoffee

The Gods Themselves© 1972 Isaac Asimov288 pages “Against human stupidity, the gods themselves contend in vain.” – Friedrich Schiller In a small university office, something wondrous has been discovered: an isotope of Plutonium which cannot possibly remain stable according to the … Continue reading →

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