Tag Archives: science fiction

Conversations on Writing with le Guin

Posted on November 12, 2026 by smellincoffee

Conversations on Writing, featuring interviews between Ursula le Guin & David Naimon,  is possibly wasted on someone who has read so little of her.  Having just read a le Guin novel, though, immediately followed by a collection of pieces in … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Lathe of Heaven

Posted on November 9, 2026 by smellincoffee

This, my second exposure to le Guin, reads exactly like an episode of The Twilight Zone. A man, Orr, is confronted by law enforcement after trying to buy certain drugs illegally; he explains to them that he needed it, for … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

This Is How You Lose the Time War + SciFiMonth Prompts

Posted on November 7, 2026 by smellincoffee

Recently I finished This is How You Lose the Time War,  a ‘literary SF’ title that was definitely not my cup of tea.  The book is a mix of narrative and letters as two agents from opposing organizations – the … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science fiction | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

Delta V

Posted on November 6, 2026 by smellincoffee

Daniel Suarez is a rare author whose every work has been a hit for me, unlike Scalzi & Doctorow who have had misfires. Delta-V continues in that tradition, beginning with a cave diver named James Tighe who is recruited for … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

The Lifecycle of Software Objects

Posted on November 5, 2026 by smellincoffee

The Lifecycle of Software Objects is one of the more interesting SF books I’ve read in recent years, and until the last ten percent or so it was headed toward a rare five-star review. That’s how fascinating I found it. … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments

Cool find: Bradbury a la comic book

Posted on November 3, 2026 by smellincoffee

Tonight I stumbled upon a comic adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s “And there will come soft rains”, which until I’d read “The Veldt”, was the most unsettling Bradbury I had encountered. Unfortunately, one can’t share the premise without spoiling the story, … Continue reading →

Posted in science fiction | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Arthur C. Clarke on whales and nuclear holocausts

Posted on November 3, 2026 by smellincoffee

Recently I listened to two rather different Arthur C. Clarke stories. “All the Time in the World”. I originally experienced this as a Twilight Zone episode,  or so I thought,  in which a frustrated bank teller embraces a nuclear war … Continue reading →

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

I Am Spock

Posted on August 20, 2026 by smellincoffee

I cannot tell you how many times I read through this book in high school, but it’s the foundation of everything I know about Star Trek’s original production, from the practical effects to the behind the scenes drama.  I Am … Continue reading →

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

SHELLI: R-Evolution

Posted on June 16, 2026 by smellincoffee

An experimental incubator synth, with high-octane empathy protocols, has just run off with a baby. The baby is due to be delivered soon, but it appears this unit has become attached to the baby she’s carried for so many months; … Continue reading →

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

Teaser Tuesday & SciFi Month

Posted on November 18, 2025 by smellincoffee

Today’s tease is from Robert Heinlein’s Double Star! “Before my revered father died, he made me promise him three things: first, never to mix whisky with anything but water; second, always to ignore anonymous letters; and lastly, never to talk … Continue reading →

Posted in General | Tagged , , | 6 Comments