Tag Archives: SF

Peter F. Hamilton – The Reality Dysfunction (1996) Review

Posted on June 8, 2023 by Jeroen Admiraal

DNF at 65% Peter F. Hamilton’s first major space opera series clearly marks him as part of the British space opera revival movement that includes the authors Iain M. Banks, Alastair Reynolds and Neal Asher. Hamilton’s big fat 1200 page … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Haruki Murakami – 1Q84, Book One (2009) Review

Posted on May 1, 2023 by Jeroen Admiraal

8/10 This is not an easy book to put in a box. Murakami wrote a kind of science fiction novel in which two main characters end up in a slightly alternate version of reality. It’s a form of slipstream fiction … Continue reading →

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R.A. Lafferty – Fourth Mansions (1969) Review

Posted on April 24, 2023 by Jeroen Admiraal

8.5/10 This is a long review. It’s Lafferty. Another crazy Lafferty novel that blew my mind. He has the greatest imagination of all science fiction writers. In this novel too, the writing is energetic, hyperactive even, but always controlled and … Continue reading →

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Philip Jose Farmer – To Your Scattered Bodies Go (1972) Review

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Jeroen Admiraal

4/10 The thing about To Your Scattered Bodies Go (1972) is that it has a really intriguing concept, but is written down by a terribly mediocre writer. And when I tell you what this book is about, you might want … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 27 Comments

John Wyndham – The Kraken Wakes (1953) Review

Posted on March 22, 2023 by Jeroen Admiraal

7.5/10 Sequel to The Kraken Snoozes, followed by The Kraken Needs a Cup of Coffee and The Kraken Defrosts His Car. Ok, enough of that. This is an alien invasion story, very much in the tradition of H.G. Wells’ War … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, horror, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 18 Comments

Stanislaw Lem – The Futurological Congress (1971) Review

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Jeroen Admiraal

9/10 I’ve read this once before, years ago, and all I remember was that it was a totally wild, zany, madcap story and that I loved it. It’s like Philip K. Dick on speed and at his most satirical. Let’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 21 Comments

Michael Swanwick – The Dog Said Bow-Wow (2007) Review

Posted on February 2, 2023 by Jeroen Admiraal

8/10 Of the 16 short stories in this collection, 3 are Hugo Award winners, 3 more are Hugo Award nominees, 12 are Locus Awards nominees with 1 winner, and 1 Nebula nominee. This is a show of strength, this collection, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

M. John Harrison – The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again (2020) Review

Posted on January 24, 2023 by Jeroen Admiraal

The Sunken Land Begins to Rise Again. What image does that title generate? Something about the past, something that lay hidden, that you thought was gone perhaps, but is coming back. This does not only refer to the land, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

David Brin – Startide Rising (1983) Review

Posted on December 14, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

7.5/10 Dolphins. In spaaaaace. This novel is like a space opera theme park. David Brin just squeezed in every idea that he thought was cool until the novel was ready to burst. It’s a space opera candy store. I’ll have … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , | 21 Comments

A.E. van Vogt – The World of Null-A (1948) Review

Posted on November 26, 2022 by Jeroen Admiraal

There is a bit of crazy history behind this book that must be told. The reason is that it explains the book’s existence and what it tries to do.  So, A.E. van Vogt was a science fiction writer in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Science fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments