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I got quite a bit of reading done this week, much of it short stories that have either already been reviewed (Bolo by Keith Laumer) or ones that will be reviewed later (Apex Magazine Issue #20). But I did manage to read a few short stories this weekend that I wanted to share with you tonight.
Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade ~Keith Laumer
–first paperback collected publication, 1976
–Berkley Publishing Corporation
–216 pages
–cover illustration by Vincent di Fate
–7/10 Good fun!
My quest to explore the history of science fiction took a sharp turn off its plotted course recently when a cover illustrated by Tom Kidd caught my eye. It was for a Baen book publication, Best of the Bolos, edited by Keith Laumer. With a little digging I discovered that Keith Laumer created a series of future history stories featuring the Bolos–large super-tanks that were initially manned craft but later became self-aware due to the addition of artificial intelligence. Over the course of many centuries the Bolos became more and more advanced and were lauded again and again as the saviors of mankind. On a recent visit to the newly-installed stacks of used books at my local comic shop I came across this collection, Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade. As my interest in these stories was already piqued, I decided to bring it home to begin at the beginning.
The 6 short stories contained within this collection call to mind the stories that fueled my excitement for science fiction several decades ago. I started it last night, reluctantly put it aside to go to bed, and began my day by finishing the last two stories. This was fun.
Continue reading Bolo: The Annals of the Dinochrome Brigade ~Keith Laumer
The Third Bear ~Jeff Vandermeer
–published 2010
–Tachyon Publications
–273 pages
–Rating: 9/10
I am about to make an assertion that perhaps only book lovers will forgive me for: a good story can be as heady and electric as a first kiss, as intoxicating as the finest wine (or a really good margarita), as breathtaking as the most beautiful sunset. A good story can induce a state of euphoria that flows through you like an electrical current. A good story can make you want to be something that you are not.
Jeff Vandermeer tells a good story.
Nowhere is that more apparent than in his first collection of short stories, The Third Bear.
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Most of my reading weekend, taking place while watching NFL playoff football, was taken up finishing Jeff Vandermeer’s short story collection, The Third Bear, which I will review separately. I did manage to squeeze in a few more short stories, however, that I am happy to share with you here.
Continue reading Short Story Weekend: January 8th and 9th, 2011
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I have never professed to be a critic. I am one tree in a forest of individuals who choose to exercise the right of free speech online to discuss books. What I strive to do, and what I believe other book bloggers strive to do, is to communicate my experience with a given book in such a manner that anyone reading one of my reviews can assess whether or not they want to try it out for themselves. I try to do so with passion and creativity, but in the end what I do is every bit as subjective as you would expect the opinion of an enthusiastic book lover to be. In the end you, as a unique individual, are rolling the dice anytime you pick up a book on the recommendation of another reader.
I also acknowledge the fact that I often write lengthy reviews and not everyone has the time, or wants to take the time, to read every word. Understanding that, I generally give books a star rating so a person can see at a glance what I thought of the book. I use a 5 star rating system and I have become increasingly unhappy with it because I don’t feel like that gives me enough range to rate books that are worth reading. I also have a habit of rating in .25 increments in order to force a greater range within that 5 point scale, but it feels a bit false. So, I’ve decided to adopt the 10 point rating system of the Classic Science Fiction Book Club that I have recently joined online.
Their rating system is: