[Book Review] Vampire Hunter D – Hideyuki Kikuchi (1983)

This was a proper nostalgia kick for me, since I used to swallow these books as a teen. For every flaw of Kikuchi's, there was something that had me falling in love with the series all over again. It's common for people to claim poor translation, and I really can't comment on that, but there...

[Book Review] Moondust – Andrew Smith (2005)

Moondust bats back and forth between interviews with the Apollo astronauts, their families, other associates, and the author's own experiences as he reflects on the pop culture of the 60s and 70s. Smith also speculates on the enigma of the moon landing and why it's morphed into a sort of fairy tale in the public consciousness,...

[Book Review] Riddley Walker – Russell Hoban (1980)

Bought on a whim while browsing a beer and book venue, I didn't know what to expect with Riddley Walker. I'm always intrigued by things that are trying something different though, and the opening page sends that message pretty loud and clear. Written entirely in broken English, from the perspective of a post-nuclear citizen, where history and fact...

[Book Review] Frozen Hell – John W. Campbell Jr. (1938/2019)

Frozen Hell is the previously unpublished extended version of Campbell's influential novella, Who Goes There?, best known for inspiring film adaptations such as Hawks'/Nyby's The Thing from Another World and Carpenter's The Thing. The latter is notable for more accurately representing the shapeshifting nature of the creature, whereas the original 1951 film merely has the creature as a vegetable-based monster...

[Book Review] Highway of Eternity – Clifford D. Simak (1986)

"The cable reached Boone in Singapore: NEED A MAN WHO CAN STEP AROUND A CORNER. CORCORAN." So begins Highway of Eternity, in some editions mis-printed as Highway to Eternity (an amusing flaw, considering that in the book a character is corrected on the difference between the two). A man who can see around a corner into another dimension...

[Book/Adaptation Overview] My Cousin Rachel – Daphne du Maurier

Recently I read Cornish author Daphne du Maurier's My Cousin Rachel for the first time, shortly followed by all available screen adaptations. Here I give a brief overview of my experience with each incarnation. This article assumes the reader has some familiarity with the author or the novel; I allude to aspects of the story...

[Book Review] Special Deliverance – Clifford D. Simak (1982)

Quick synopsis: Several strangers from wildly different cultural backgrounds find themselves in a strange, post-apocalyptic world; with no answers, no direction and no choice but to explore the bizarre landmarks in search of clues. Review: Special Deliverance is an enjoyable but unremarkable read. It's the sort of story that requires good characters and atmosphere to make...

[Book Review] Stamboul Train – Graham Greene (1932)

Greene's 2nd "proper" novel, since he disowned his actual 2nd and 3rd works and made sure they would be hard to find in print. Stamboul Train (or Orient Express, if going by its reprint title) strikes quite a nice balance between some of his more pensive works and one of his thrillers. Greene says he wrote this...

[Book Review] Time Snake and Super Clown – Vincent King (1976)

I'm not sure what to make of this really. I don't think it's anywhere near as "demented" or wacky as its reputation would suggest. The most bizarre element is that the protagonist has his face turned into that of a clown's, but other than that it's mostly just a nightmarish time-trek story. It's one long...

[Book Review] Brother and Other Stories – Clifford D. Simak (1988)

A mixed collection. Collectively rather brief at 165 pages, containing two short stories and two novelettes. There is nothing all-bad here; some are better than others but all of it is very readable and each story has at least one of Simak's best traits on display to provoke a smile. Brother - 3.5 Classically quaint...