Tag Archives: book reviews

Stations of the Tide – Michael Swanwick (1991)

by Claire Posted on May 26, 2013

On the cover of my edition of this 1991 Nebula winner, the blurb from the New York Times Book Review reads, “Engrossing…enigmatic…playful, erotic, and disturbing.” I heartily agree with most of these adjectives. The one word missing, at least for … Continue reading →

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The Fountains of Paradise – Arthur C. Clarke (1979)

by Claire Posted on August 31, 2012

The first book I ever attempted to read by Arthur C. Clarke was 2001, a novelization based on a film based on a short story. I’ve never seen the movie, but I found the book to be boring, put it … Continue reading →

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Lord of Light – Roger Zelazny (1967)

by Claire Posted on August 22, 2012

So this is it, my last sci-fi review for a while. The school year starts up again on Monday, which means I’ll only have time for grading papers and reading big, fat monographs on important historical events. If I can … Continue reading →

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Red Mars – Kim Stanley Robinson (1993)

by Claire Posted on August 10, 2012

When I worked at Half Price Books in Berkeley, Red Mars was one of those books that we sold out of regularly. Being two blocks from UC Berkeley, college students interested in buying and selling their books made up a … Continue reading →

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The Future of Falling Skies: How Dystopia Recreates the Present in the Future

by Claire Posted on August 6, 2012

I am a sucker for Falling Skies, the post-alien-invasion-show currently in its second season on TNT. I don’t know why I feel so compelled to watch this show, because it is full of problems. Butt loads. I guess it’s because I … Continue reading →

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The Peace War by Vernor Vinge (1984)

by Claire Posted on August 5, 2012

The idea that the disappearance or removal of all technology and nuclear weapons might be the only way to save the human race is not new to science fiction. Clifford D. Simak made exploring the pros and cons of this … Continue reading →

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The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N. McIntyre (1997)

by Claire Posted on July 31, 2012

When I ran the sci-fi section at HPB in Berkeley, my consumption of science fiction accelerated at an exponential rate. Berkeley and Oakland are sci-fi towns, and have produced many famous authors, including Philip K. Dick (who worked right down … Continue reading →

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Ringworld by Larry Niven (1970)

by Claire Posted on July 27, 2012

There are many different kinds of science fiction stories, so many that scholars seem to have reached a consensus that the genre’s boundaries are impossible to define. One woman’s work of science fiction is another’s work of historical fiction, for … Continue reading →

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The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester (1953)

by Claire Posted on July 21, 2012

Alfred Bester’s The Demolished Man became the first Hugo winner in 1953. Originally serialized in 1951, the novel appeared during the golden 1950s, in the midst of the baby boom, and at the dawning of the age of the expert. … Continue reading →

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