Book Review: Binary Star #4: Legacy | The Janus Equation

Book Review: Binary Star #4: Legacy | The Janus Equation by Joan D. Vinge | Steven G. Spruil “Binary Star” was a short-lived series of paperbacks from Dell SF in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Their gimmick was pairs of novellas with a loose theme, something like the classic Ace Doubles. #4 was the first with… Continue reading Book Review: Binary Star #4: Legacy | The Janus Equation

Book Review: Iron Widow

Book Review: Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao Huaxia is a future society that has modeled itself somewhat on medieval China, for both good and ill. As far as Zetian is concerned, it’s definitely for ill. The way Huaxia society is set up seems to be designed to oppress women and crush their wills. From… Continue reading Book Review: Iron Widow

Book Review: Horn Crown

Book Review: Horn Crown by Andre Norton Elron has holes in his memory, as does every other member of his people that came through the Gate from High Halleck. They know they fled some great danger, and that they agreed to have their memories of that danger as well as some other subjects erased for… Continue reading Book Review: Horn Crown

Manga Review: Mars Red Vol. 1

Manga Review: Mars Red Vol. 1 Story by Bun-O Fujisawa, art by Karakara Kemuri It is 1924, and the Great Kanto Earthquake has hit Tokyo. In the ruins of a lavish performance hall, the star actor awaits death. A girl comes to rescue him, amusing to him as he is a vampire and she a… Continue reading Manga Review: Mars Red Vol. 1

Movie Review: Pan’s Labyrinth

Ofelia descends into the heart of the labyrinth.

Movie Review: Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) directed by Guillermo del Toro (aka “El Labarinto del Fauno”} It is 1944, and elsewhere in Europe, the Allied troops recently landed in France on D-Day. But here in a remote mountainous region of Spain, Captain Vidal (Sergi López) and his men are hunting down the remnants of the Republicans who… Continue reading Movie Review: Pan’s Labyrinth

Book Review: Rediscovery: Science Fiction by Women Volume 2 (1953-1957)

Cover by Frank Kelly Freas--not illustrating any of the stories in this volume.

Book Review: Rediscovery: Science Fiction by Women Volume 2 (1953-1957) edited by Gideon Marcus As the introduction by Janice L. Newman points out, women have written science fiction all along. The percentage of them getting published at any given time in the magazines and books waxed and waned, but they were always there. In the… Continue reading Book Review: Rediscovery: Science Fiction by Women Volume 2 (1953-1957)

Manga Review: Apollo’s Song

Manga Review: Apollo’s Song by Osamu Tezuka Shogo Chikaishi is an unhappy young man. He has no idea who his birth father was, and his mother supported them by inviting a string of horny men to her bed. She had little love to spare for her child, who often got in the way of getting… Continue reading Manga Review: Apollo’s Song

Book Review: Dead Men’s Plans

Book Review: Dead Men’s Plans by Mignon G. Eberhart Sewal Blake is the stepdaughter of Julius Minary, the child of his first wife. Only a few years into their marriage, Sewal’s mother died, and Julius almost immediately remarried. She bore him a daughter, Amy, and a son, Reg, before passing away herself. Bereft and knowing… Continue reading Book Review: Dead Men’s Plans

Book Review: New Tales of Space and Time

Cover by Charles Frank

Book Review: New Tales of Space and Time edited by Raymond J. Healy This 1951 anthology opens with an introduction by Anthony Boucher. In it he notes the proliferation of science fiction anthologies at the time, most of which were reprints of magazine stories. Often the same stories, over and over–not bad because they are… Continue reading Book Review: New Tales of Space and Time

Anime Review: Jujutsu Kaisen

Yuji has renewed resolve.

Anime Review: Jujutsu Kaisen Unknown to the vast majority of humans, they share the Earth with noroi, curses, supernatural monsters that spawn from the negative emotions of humanity. Some humans, however, can sense and use cursed energy to various degrees. Those that battle curses become jujutsu sorcerers, while those that use these powers for evil… Continue reading Anime Review: Jujutsu Kaisen