Book stuff

I’ve seen several interesting posts lately on various topics involving books and reading, so I thought I’d share.
Bill Ward has a couple of articles (at his own blog and at Black Gate) on the subject of speed-reading, with special reference to a columnist/reviewer who ripped through a whopping 462 books last year. (And I [...]

I’m a “top 100″ — cool!

Distance Learning Net has posted a list of what they consider the Top 100 Science Fiction Blogs. And what’s that, down there in the Reviews section…… some place called “From A Sci-Fi Standpoint.” Hmmm, I’ve never considered this little ol’ blog of mine to be in that league, but apparently someone there thinks [...]

The two Vernor Vinges (the short and the long of it)

I have read several of Vernor Vinge’s novels and found their quality to range anywhere from “good” to “outstanding.” Indeed, over the time period I read those books, I’ve come to regard him as a solid and reliable author, perhaps even a growing favorite. So it seemed like a no-brainer to get this [...]

Simmons satisfies with The Hollow Man

After experiencing (and loving) Dan Simmons’ take on space opera as displayed in his Hyperion Cantos, I was looking forward to delving into some more of his work, and it didn’t take me long to find some. The Hollow Man (1992) recently caught my attention at a used bookstore, and reading it has only [...]

Fellow bloggers share their thoughts on 2008

I’ve just had a chance to catch up on some of my blog reading that I’ve been slacking on since New Year’s Day. And I see that several of my blogger friends have posted their blogging/reading/whatever experiences in the year just ended.
Any biology fans among my readers? There must be. Peggy at [...]

Warning: this is not a game! (But it is a review.)

This Is Not A Game (2009) by Walter Jon Williams is a novel that blurs the lines between gaming and reality and explores the possible interaction between the two, given the fact that games continue to become more complex and better able to simulate reality, and can involve large networks of online participants. Williams [...]