Once upon a time, Powell’s Books in Portland used to be a trove of used paperback treasures at prices a hungry college student could afford. Now when I happen to visit PDX (to see old friends, family, visit clients, etc.) I still stop in to browse. Gone are the days of bargain prices. But still… Continue reading Michael Resnick’s “Pursuit on Ganymede.”
Tag: Edgar Rice Burroughs
ERB’s “The Lost Continent” and the Great War.
The Lost Continent (original title Beyond Thirty) is a short, pared-down action novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs first published in 1916, only four years after ERB’s breakout work, Tarzan. 1916 was, of course, smack in the middle of World War I, and the influence is clear. The story takes place in the 22nd century. Pan-America… Continue reading ERB’s “The Lost Continent” and the Great War.
Finding ERB’s The Land of Hidden Men
Tarzan and John Carter are deservedly famous. But I have extracted a perhaps unexpected amount of enjoyment from several of Edgar Rice Burrough’s less well known books, such as The Mucker, I Am A Barbarian, The Outlaw of Torn, and The Mad King. Now add to that The Land of Hidden Men. The Land of… Continue reading Finding ERB’s The Land of Hidden Men
Leigh Brackett’s The Coming of the Terrans. Mars as God and ERB Intended.
Leight Brackett’s The Coming of the Terrans is a slim volume, packaging five thematically related stories. Slim, yes, but not light weight. Brackett takes what could be a frothy, fun topic of men on ancient, dusty Mars and instead gives us insightful tales in her own unique Martian setting: a grim intersection of Edgar Rice… Continue reading Leigh Brackett’s The Coming of the Terrans. Mars as God and ERB Intended.
Edgar Rice Burroughs’ I Am A Barbarian. Plus Savage Journal Entry 48.
Among the haul I picked up at the North Texas RPG Con was Edgar Rice Burroughs’ I Am a Barbarian. I’m not ashamed to admit that I was drawn by the cover. It appears to be early Boris Vallejo, prior to his style taking on a glossy sheen. Surprisingly, the cover depicts (more or less)… Continue reading Edgar Rice Burroughs’ I Am A Barbarian. Plus Savage Journal Entry 48.
S&S 202: Does Sword-and-Planet Fiction Qualify as Sword-and-Sorcery? Resurrected Post.
March 15, 2020 S&S 202: Does Sword-and-Planet Fiction Qualify as Sword-and-Sorcery? Does the Sword-and-Planet (also known as Planetary Romance) genre qualify as Sword-and-Sorcery? Or, more precisely, can it? Yes. Next question. Wait, you want some sort of explanation rather than a blanket agreement or denial. Fine. You might think that swapping out “sorcery” for “planet”… Continue reading S&S 202: Does Sword-and-Planet Fiction Qualify as Sword-and-Sorcery? Resurrected Post.
S&S 201: Five More You Should Know. Resurrected Post.
February 16, 2020 S&S 201: Five More You Should Know In a previous post I’ve written about the five Swords & Sorcery writers the novice reader should be familiar with. Let’s assume this imaginary individual has completed that introductory course of study and is ready to move on to the intermediate-level: S&S 201. Because this… Continue reading S&S 201: Five More You Should Know. Resurrected Post.
Remedial Fantasy for the Chronically Lazy: A Top Five List. Resurrected Post.
April 8, 2018 Remedial Fantasy For the Chronically Lazy: A Top Five List A couple of weeks ago I moderated a panel on the essential science fiction writers of the Golden Age. The premise was which writers should someone read if he were interested in acquiring a grounding in sci-fi but possessed either limited time… Continue reading Remedial Fantasy for the Chronically Lazy: A Top Five List. Resurrected Post.
Top Ten Most Influential Fantasy Writers of the Twentieth Century. Resurrected Post.
February 8, 2015 Top Ten Most Influential Fantasy Writers of the Twentieth Century The wellsprings of modern fantasy run deep. Very deep. People could write books about it. And they have. So if I have the temerity to toss my two-cents worth into the conversation I’d best limit the scope. I’m limiting myself to author’s… Continue reading Top Ten Most Influential Fantasy Writers of the Twentieth Century. Resurrected Post.