At first I thought the current fashion of dark, gritty fantasy – fantasy noir – is just that, a recent shift in popularity, like the explosion of angsty teenage vampire stories. If we take the long view, it’s an established … Continue reading
It all started last December with an article in the local newspaper, saying that the animal shelter was overcrowded and were offering half-off on adoption fees. So, since mine beloved spouse had been languishing in the absence of a dog … Continue reading
What makes science fiction a genre? Is it the bells and whistles, the FTL space ships, the futuristic technology? Is it the ability to travel in time or across vast regions of space? Does it involve interactions with alien species, … Continue reading
Here’s a collection of recent science stories that deepen our understanding of the past, both here on Earth and in the heavens. ‘Treasure trove’ of dinosaur footprints found in southern England More than 85 well-preserved dinosaur footprints — made by … Continue reading
I’m not big on resolutions, New Year’s or otherwise. More often than not, all they do is set me up to fail or put me in competition with others, and who needs that? However, I do see a great deal … Continue reading
[This post is a bit late, but I can blame the Book View Cafe blog site being down…] For the past decade or so, whether Chanukah falls in early December or overlaps Christmas, I have wrestled with the meaning of … Continue reading
How to make organ transplants last: New approaches try to train the body to welcome the replacement parts A discussion of various strategies to prevent rejection in transplanted organs: Because transplanted skin has a high likelihood of provoking an immune attack, … Continue reading
From Book View Cafe member and New York Times bestselling author Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff comes a new private detective series featuring Gina “Tinkerbell” Miyoko, who goes undercover in the Mexican jungle to hunt down a ring of thieves responsible for looting pre-Columbian archaeology sites. … Continue reading
Witchmark, by C. L. Polk (Tor) is one of the most unusual and compelling love stories I’ve read this year. The setting, very much like England in the throes of national PTSD following the First World War, a magic-yielding aristocracy, a … Continue reading
I confess to a love-hate relationship with big conventions. I love the energy. I love seeing friends and colleagues from all over the world, particularly since most of the time, I am something of a hermit, nesting in my redwood … Continue reading
