Category Archives: sff

New Editions of Old Stories

Reading about cops and robbers today.

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There Are Limits

I’ve been watching through The Outer Limits (1963-1965), a show I have fond memories of from when I was a kid. Uff da. They’re mostly terrible so far. The best episode of the first five was 1.4 “The Man with … Continue reading

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Carney Knowledge: MADBALL by Fredric Brown

Fredric Brown was one of the best writers of sf at shorter lengths–especially very short lengths. His story “Knock” was so short he had to write a longer story to embed it in. His “Puppet Show” brilliantly mocked the Campbellian … Continue reading

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Wearing the Mask

I’m rereading Seneca’s De Beneficiis, using Kaster’s shiny new OCT edition, and came across this crunchy line: hanc personam induisti: agenda est.—Seneca, De Beneficiis 2.17.2“You’ve put on this mask; you have to act out the part.” Seneca’s line is almost … Continue reading

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Decisions, Decisions

It’s a three-day weekend (thanks, Organized Labor!) and I was figuring on catching up with some writing projects. But then I saw Criterion had added Duel and Donnie Darko and a bunch of good stuff. So… maybe yes; maybe no.

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Eldritch Lore of Lightning, Stars, and Magic

On Facebook, Michael Swanwick mentioned a historical (or maybe apocryphal) episode when the Pope invited Etruscan seers to use lightning magic to defend Rome against Alaric and his Ostrogoths. It’s a pretty good story, whether or not it’s actually history. … Continue reading

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ΧΑΟΣ

I don’t know if you knew this about me, but I’ll buy a book every now and then. Because I am not a crazy person (anyway, I’ve never been officially diagnosed), before I’ll buy a book I see if I … Continue reading

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Missed Opportunities

I’ve always liked C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. But I’m baffled by how many screen adaptations they’ve received, and now they’re slated to get another one via Netflix. At this rate we’ll never get a theme-park thrillride based on Till … Continue reading

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A Fuzzy Thing Happened…

Typo of the day is trible (where I intended to type tribe). It caused me a little trouble.

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“Numberless Are the World’s Wonders…”: Clifford Simak’s CITY

Here’s Davis Meltzer’s cover for the 1970s-era Ace edition of Clifford Simak’s City, an early entry onto my “Always Reread” list. I disliked this cover when I was a kid because of the anthropoid greenmetal skull with human teeth. Now … Continue reading

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