All Reviews by R Stephan
From Tabusintac to Tokyo
by Jeremiah Sutherland
Snapshots from the biography of a Canadian engineer that tell more of places and people than of himself. Wit and having something to say is in each of the shorts. Recommended if you want to switch from all the old books to some light but modern reading.
The Red Triangle
by Arthur Morrison
Average pulp mysteries collection - a detective is included but he only passively follows the oh so terrifying plot. Not better than Rohmer and worse than Wallace.
At the Villa Rose
by A.E.W. Mason
While the culprits in this interesting detective story are not very difficult to guess, what really happened is unveiled only later: a remarkable story which fits perfectly in the esoterism craze of the early 20th century.
The Postmaster's Daughter
by Louis Tracy
Excellent, and the story line was especially realistically woven. Recommended.
Out of the Silence
by Erle Cox
Refreshing, well-written and well-thought out SF novel with a classic subject. I didn't notice it was soo old, and that proves it all works also without nukes, computers, or the internet. Yes, we all found the ending too short but that's how it is, guys, you know what I mean. It's perfectly in line with the story.
Now, why don't give I full points? It's the dispute about progress' victims. Because we have no power of decision, and because we do something so that the number of victims is minimized, we are not guilty. And a possible alien that introduces progress and does something to minimize its victims isn't either. That's why the book has a stupid spot in spite of all the superior intelligence.
Human Company
by Robert Petty
A fine SF adventure and well written too. The description of the post-industrial society dominated by genetically enhanced females is detailed and frequently funny. The story is addictive yarn, the protagonist a boy with the desire to repair the failed sky elevator. Just what hard SF fans need. Thanks to the author for releasing with a CC license!
The Woman in White
by Wilkie Collins
Certainly a mystery classic, although I couldn't stand the obvious stupidity of Laura long. For needing that stupidity to develop the plot, I won't give full points, but I'll certainly look at other works from the author.
The Seven Secrets
by William le Queux
I couldn't put down this satisfying mystery, playing in 1900's London. It features a doctor whose love becomes suspect in a murder case, and even he loses faith at some time. Only after patient investigations by a friend and some more surprises is everything cleared up.
The Janus Syndrome
by Steven E. McDonald
The book lives from the main character and his tolerant attitude against all aliens. The rest is mad shooting, girls and a silly ending. Fits perfectly in the modern pulp section.
The Evil Shepherd
by E. Phillips Oppenheim
Similar page turner to the author's Amiable Charlatan, an intelligent man stumbles into a love affair with a girl, the father of whom presenting a mystery that is only resolved at the end.
The Devil in Iron
by Robert E. Howard
Premium-sized adventure short featuring Conan. While one could say a lot against some of the sexist fantasies in Conan stories, Howard's stories always are crisp and satisfying through their completeness. Don't miss yet another from the master of adventure pulp!
Life of Charles Darwin
by George Thomas Bettany
Condensed sketch of Darwin's life and work, with a focus on his books. Recommended if you want a short version of it all---there are dozens of longer biographies and letter collections, not to mention the works themselves. Of course, the perspective is from 1880, but that's fine for an overview of this eminent naturalist who was not limited at all to thinking about evolution. Beware, the latter half of the book is the literature list, so it really is only half as thick!
Holocaust House
by Norbert Davis
Novelette-sized pulp detective story with Doan but sadly without Carstairs, most of the time. Which is probably why Doan has to use lots of profane violence to get them all. A good time-waster.
Where the Pavement Ends
by John Russell
Cynical short stories with the common theme West meets Asia on a forgotten island. And one or both of them always get a surprise. So, the shorts aren't boring, but be prepared for much pidgin and transcription errors.
The Witness for the Defense
by A.E.W. Mason
The story of an English barrister who accidentally meets his old love in India, after which a drama unfolds whose full clarification waits until the end of the book. I found this a very readable and gripping mystery with natural characters where liberal thinking wins in the end over conservativity.
The Mystery of Marie Rogêt
by Edgar Allan Poe
Tedious but thorough analysis of a crime, the size of a novelette. At the end we get to know that what was described happened in reality. If you like such dry postmortems, and indeed I learned some forensics reading it, then this is just for you.
The Element of Fire
by Martha Wells
Excellent writing combines with believable characters and a colourful world in this fantasy novel. That's why I give 5 points. However, it's not to my taste that the action is emotionally heavy with thick plotting all over the one place, which isn't left most of the time, and the magic system is not even glossed over. It must be a symptom of fantasy written by female authors, that any technical detail, be it magic or fighting, is lovelessly ignored. So, then I'm a sexist. You will like the book, nonetheless.
Shard of Glass
by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Interesting well-written magical SF novelette, with mother and daughter on the run, sharing a secret.
Historical Mysteries
by Andrew Lang
You must be steadfast in literature (Thackeray) and the monarchy's history if you want to enjoy this collection of analytical essays on some mysteries. The mysteries consist of more-or-less known (at the time of 1900) deaths, possible frauds, and other odd happenings that the author was able to collect enough information about to make a through analysis. Not for everyone.
Deathworld
by Harry Harrison
The ending was not satisfactory but the rest is worth reading. I thought the ending was typical of that time, and probably forced on the author by time or space constraints.
An Amiable Charlatan
by E. Phillips Oppenheim
Apparent fool meets genius thief with daughter and falls in love. Do not expect the usual outcome. It reminds me a bit of Raffles but the narrator is more active here. Well-written, funny, and a page-turner.
Tolkachev, A Worthy Successor to Penkovsky
by Barry G. Royden
Rarely can we read in so much detail documentation about the daily work of spies. Always in such cases something can be gained from between the lines if you know your tech and history. This one represents probably one of the last successful actions in surveillance-free megacities.
The Red Seal
by Natalie Sumner Lincoln
Quite complicated detective story, even if you ignore the identical twins, the style is dense, too. But that's only bad for some. Will try more from the author.
The House of a Thousand Candles
by Meredith Nicholson
Romantic mystery in a treasure house in Indiana. Some action and adventure is included with noone getting seriously hurt, and all is merry at the end. However, the merriness appears a bit forced after all that happened, I should say.
The Circular Study
by Anna Katharine Green
I agree this detective story has an unusal start, and the end is very emotional. Not excellent but a good mixture: typical of the mysteries of that time, it needs improbable or extreme conditions to work out, extreme stupidities of youth in this case (suicide and not to know the difference between murder and justifyable homicide).
Gray Dusk
by Octavus Roy Cohen
Fine detective novel placed in South Carolina at around 1920. The plot, unlike some others, has nothing improbable in it. Expect some local dialect, a suboptimal transcription, and a surprise at the end.
Tired of Death
by Neil Hartley
If you're bored of standard D&D fantasy read this. One of the dungeon monsters is tired of hacking adventurers and wants to get 'outside'. With a jolly party of zombies and whatnot it later even challenges the DM but that's only the beginning. Of course, it's a much bloody story but plenty of slapstick happens with the mixture. The writing could be a bit more careful of replication. Nonetheless, a funny time waster.
The Chestermarke Instinct
by J.S. Fletcher
Differs from other mysteries by the same author in that no orphan finds its parents and the bank manager only apparently fled with the money. On the other hand, the novel is as well-written, satisfying but also as simple-minded as the others.
Six Seconds of Darkness
by Octavus Roy Cohen
Improbable coincidences from the start first made me doubt the quality of this detective novel. But it all works out somehow, and it develops into an unusual and interesting plot.
Graveyard Rats
by Robert E. Howard
Pulp horror/detective short story in best Howard quality. Not a single word is misplaced.
Shoe-Bar Stratton
by Joseph Bushnell Ames
Western mystery and heartbreak in Arizona 1920. Average time-waster but gripping.
Last Enemy
by H. Beam Piper
Must be the only SF story taking reincarnation as scientific fact. For this alone, it's highly recommended. But you additionally get Piper writing quality with yet another Paratime corrective action amidst political turmoil story.
As this novellette presupposes knowledge about the Paratime series, better read Police Operation or Temple Trouble first.
The Crooked House
by Brandon Fleming
Apart from that such a madness can't be inherited (at that time, they suspected nearly everything to be inherited, until twin studies were made), this was a gripping and well-told mystery.
The Barbarian
by Poul William Anderson
Should be subtitled What Really Happened When Conan Invaded Sarmia. Simply hilarious.
Strange Attractors
by Jeffrey A. Carver
Couldn't identify with an all-complaining, others-following-nevertheless seemingly very young central person, the endless boring chasing without really looking at what's here and now. Probably I'm too old for authors' thoughtless writing-using-speech-recognition. It may produce volume, but not much more.
Ferragus
by Honoré de Balzac
Romantic mystery in 18th century Paris. While brilliantly depicted, most of the people in this novelette strike me as extraordinary stupid, driven by social conventions that no longer, never existed. But even minus all the honor folly, it's worth reading for the scene and the author's sarcasm.
Betty Zane
by Zane Grey
Well written historical fiction recommended to anyone interested in the decline of the indigenous North American.
A Vessel for Offering
by Darren R. Hawkins
The first half is well written and would appeal to both horror and military SF fans. I thought the second half had lengths, as the end is quite predictable and contains a bit too much mysticism for my taste. As it's a big work, I'd recommend it for the first half alone. All in all, the best at manybooks from this author.
Warbreaker
by Brandon Sanderson
While the story is quite satisfying, there are inconsistencies that would need work. Leaving them in makes the book a bit written as it went.
POSSIBLE SPOILER FOLLOWING
Why, for example, would Denth refuse the Breath from Vivenna when she was willing to give it away right at the beginning? That it is possible to share Breath we can perfectly see at the end.
Also, it's not explained how, at the end, the God King was able to use Breath so naturally, when he himself was depicted earlier as quite off from any knowledge.
The Untamed
by Max Brand
From the start, this Western concentrated a bit too much on the bad boys, with the nearly insane one being the star of the series. Too unnatural, too pulpy, but certainly good for wasting your time, if you like aggressive Western.
The Red Lottery Ticket
by Fortuné du Boisgobey
Mystery in Paris around a blackmailer threatening the ladies. This was a good read, and it's not the full points only because of the bad transcription.
The Strange Case of Mortimer Fenley
by Louis Tracy
Inspectors Furnaux and Winter are irresistible. While I read the book, I found it one of the best in that genre/time. The murder act, however, when you know it at the end, will be a bit improbable.
The LaChance Mine Mystery
by Susan Morrow Jones
An interesting mystery in the Canadian wilderness. When, at the end, the overall action heats up, I thought the hero a bit too lucky. I'll take it up again just to see if he finally takes the girl or leaves her.
From the Hands of Hostile Gods
by Darren R. Hawkins
As soon as I read: The nanomech units grasped the particles which
whizzed down the gullet of the ducts, analyzed the chemical and molecular
components of their catch, and recrafted carbon dioxide to ozone, ammonia
to nitrogen., I was out of it. Certainly, up to there it's already verry drramatic, but here the author lacks the specific grasp of chemistry that is needed for science fiction.
So if you want drama, okay. Hard science, NOT. That's probably why it was free, anyway.
Number Seventeen
by Louis Tracy
A good read well told, but not a very interesting mystery, just an exciting murder hunt, not missing the love story, of course.
Riders of the Purple Sage
by Zane Grey
Apart from being prototypical for the western genre, and a typical Grey with all the love for marriage, nature, and country, you get glimpses into a hidden chapter of the history of the US, namely the mormons in Utah, and the bad ones at that. Which might well surprise the average European.
Dead Men's Money
by J. S. Fletcher
Round, standard J.S. Fletcher mystery at The Border (to Scotland). Well written, and no proofing errors (thanks to the DP team).
Edge of the Jungle
by William Beebe
One wouldn't expect interesting stories and fine writing from a naturalist's account of his 3 years in Guiana, but Beebe is that rare case. If you're curious and like animals, this is exactly for you. Even the smallest creature becomes an actor in a hilariously funny or highly astonishing story through the author's way of recounting the find. The three zoologists must have had enormous fun. Excellent.
In the Mayor's Parlour
by J.S. Fletcher
Deviates from the average Fletcher mystery by having an open end, and the focus being not directly on the investigation, both of which make it a good read.
Security
by Ernest M. Kenyon
A 'scientist' discovers the use of code. Yes, that's all. It appears the author wasn't aware of the field of cryptography. Don't waste your time with the story.
The Rayner-Slade Amalgamation
by J. S. Fletcher
Too easy to guess the main suspect---it's given away within the first hundred pages. If you can't find it, you might even enjoy the rest.
With Cochrane the Dauntless
by G. A. Henty
Quite lifeless adventure tale superimposed on parts of the biography of Lord Cochrane the real biography of whom must be much more interesting.
The Paradise Mystery
by J.S. Fletcher
Another immersive mystery in the English countryside. It is interesting how the persons change that do the investigating, and with them the perspective. Despite the huge book list of the author, this book is clearly above the pulp level, as well as the other two I've read. Not the usual Gutenberg proofreading quality.
The Middle Temple Murder
by J.S. Fletcher
While the book is indeed absorbing and the story well told, I think if the author needs half a dozen respectable and rich persons becoming crooks, plus an orphan finding his parents, to achieve the effect and hold your attention then it's a bit on the cheap side. Remarkable is the journalist finding the murderer, with the police only being support.
Anting-Anting Stories
by Sargent Kayme
It's less a horror story collection, rather anecdotes of the way some Filipinos lived around 1900, with some snapshots from the Philippine Insurrection against the Americans. The stories tell much about the naive naturalist thinking of most of the people and are well written.
The Man of the Forest
by Zane Grey
One of the lesser know westerns from Grey but still (as T.K.Whipple praised) 'a battle of passions with one another and with the will, a struggle of love and hate, or remorse and revenge, of blood, lust, honor, friendship, anger, grief—all of a grand scale and all incalculable and mysterious', and above all, a praise of the land and nature.
The King in Yellow
by Robert W. Chambers
Utter insanity, great horror. WP says the book influenced Lovecraft. I had to stop because I thought it repeated itself, but will take it up again.
The Abandoned Room
by Wadsworth Camp
While this is a cleverly written immersive mystery (don't stop when it gets esoteric, there will be a rational explanation), I think it's a bit too much constructed to scare, and, naturally, you won't guess the solution because important info is withheld until the end, which I think is a too cheap method for mystery writing.
Bidwell's Travels, from Wall Street to London Prison
by Austin Biron Bidwell
Interesting autobiography of an ingenious New York fraudster, featuring a $1,000,000 fraud on the Bank of England (this was much more in 1875 than it sounds now). They were not amused. Although having frequent moral undertones, the unusual glimpses into financial New York and Europe make this a good read.
The Safety Pin
by J.S. Fletcher
Situated in a small English town, this mystery goes smooth and with changing perspectives, accelerating and culminating as you like it most. Perhaps not all threads of the story are clear at the end but they can be readily filled in. Will try more from this author.
Forty-one years in India
by Frederick Sleigh Roberts
I agree with the excellent review. The level of detail about the mutiny is overwhelming while the book is still readable and exciting, if you're interested in the history or culture.
Roughing It
by Mark Twain
Very funny travelogue of the author's voyage to and time in Nevada, San Francisco, and Hawaii. Full of satire about local originals. If you have the bandwith, get the illustrated version from gutenberg.org
A History of Sea Power
by William Oliver Stevens
Thorough and comprehensive work, focussing on the essentials of technology and tactics of sea battles, but giving also a sketch of global politics of the time, from early Greece up to WWI with the battle of Jutland. Did you know there were two English-Dutch wars which were fought mainly at sea?
Labrador Days
by Wilfred T. Grenfell
Grenfell, well-known from his remarkable Adrift on an Ice-Pan, presents the reader with a short story collection from the cold Labrador. The stories are authentic and are taken from the people the doctor is treating or working with. As the other book, they show what's possible for humans, but also what unites us.
John Thorndyke's Cases
by R. Austin Freeman
This collection of short detective stories not only is as fascinating as the Sherlock Holmes books but it contains more realistic cases and, as such, can even serve as an introduction to forensics. I like the short stories better than the novels in this series.
Unbeaten Tracks in Japan
by Isabella L. Bird
The first woman inducted into the Royal Geographical Society, the author was well known in the 19th century for her travelogues. This one covers the Japanese interior and may well be the first Western account of some places and people there. As such, it's highly interesting historically, but also well and sensibly observed and written. You'll be surprised how much Japan has changed in 100 years.
Wikipedia says her best known is that from the Rockies, so that I'll try next.
The Four Pools Mystery
by Jean Webster
It's not an excellent book or great plot but the realistic story is well written, and shows a fine example of shifting of perspectives, esp. what can lead to racist opinions. As a mystery, you won't put it down until finished.
The History of the Conquest of Mexico
by William Hickling Prescott
This excellent history of the Aztecs and their downfall leaves me with the certainty that history (and the Spaniards) did right in this case. The Aztec were a mixture of wild customs and stolen technology that never got it right how to govern an empire.
Sadly, we'll never know much about the Toltecs that left their tech to the Aztecs. One of the biggest book burnings in history, performed by the Spaniards, has prevented this.
Anyway, read this unbelievable story of a general against an empire; it's a classic.
The Ship of Stars
by Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
Fine novel, not too long, well written. Could have been longer (not stopping at age about thirty).
Der rote Kampfflieger
by Manfred von Richthofen
Kindliches Gemüt, flache Gedanken: Richthofen war wohl die ideale Person, um 1917 die daheim Gebliebenen noch einmal zu motivieren und für menschlichen Nachschub zu sorgen. Da weder historisch wichtig, noch literarisch interessant, höchstens durch seinen 'Schneid', gibt es nur zwei Punkte für das offensichtlich schnell produzierte Werk.
High Adventure
by James Norman Hall
One must be positively crazy to decide to learn to fly in airplanes of 1910, without any knowledge of the matter, and take this within one year or a bit more to near perfection, doing acrobatics, just to be able to fight on the front. This is the story of those crazies, told quite well by one of them. A pity he was captured before the end of war.
by
I didn't think this as good as the other reviewers, but I didn't listen to it, just read it. And I demand a bit more than clubs, drinking, drugs, and violence from a novel, or indeed, a life. "full of action, adventure" well, depends on your definition, probably. The steady drone of hateful thinking soon becomes annoying in this book.
Anything You Can Do ...
by Gordon Randall Garrett
Alien shipwrecks, goes mad, kills people, is killed by superman. All this in a boring way. I've read better stories from Garrett.
The Eye of Osiris
by R. Austin Freeman
Well written mystery in London. It appears the author has produced quite a few forensics stories.
The Circuit Riders
by R.C. FitzPatrick
SF shorty with a decidedly Orwellian theme, where the author doesn't hesitate to endorse the Law&Order point of view, and doesn't even care about newsies getting all info. Of course, a small child is an important part of the propaganda.
Harbor Tales Down North
by Norman Duncan
Sensible, extraordinary yarn about life in the cold north. If you like Jack London, try this for a change.
That Mainwaring Affair
by A. Maynard Barbour
A complicated but not opaque mystery, believable characters, clear writing, and a gripping plot from start to end (including love story) make this a great book.
The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World from Marathon to Waterloo
by Edward Creasy
A must for anyone in military history, but also recommended for anyone interested in the political events that have shaped Western civilization up to the 19th century. I would have included the battle of Leipzig, as the first succesful counteraction against Napi's tried strategy. Well written and thoroughly researched.
Under the Andes
by Rex Stout
Cool adventure novel. The survival abilities of the main characters at the end are a bit ... erm ... hard to believe. But hooked I was, the full length. It's the early bird of an author better known for his 'Nero Wolfe' books.
Mercenary
by Dallas McCord Reynolds
Interesting SF novellette; the author predicts a capitalist society with formalized corporate warfare that are a worldwide TV hit. I doubt it, as warfware, regardless of technology, is too complicated for the masses (even soccer is sometimes). Surprise ending.
The Tale of Betsy Butterfly
by Arthur Scott Bailey
The sobering story of an internet ebook ceritic who faked reviews by making people believe the books were about completely different subjects.
She died killed by a kid that thought the book he was starting to read was a fine Mafia thriller. It was a children's picture book.
I won't spoil the reader's fun guessing how the murder was performed. Extraordinary!
The Highest Treason
by Gordon Randall Garrett
Fine military SF novelette with a treason scenario. Certainly one of the better stories from Garrett.
Damned If You Don't
by Gordon Randall Garrett
Not much new or exciting in this short speculative SF story. The economic arguments given against too fast development wouldn't hold water today.
A Spaceship Named McGuire
by Gordon Randall Garrett
Fast-pace detective SF story centering around a robot AI, the usual snotty Garrett quality.
Fearful Symmetry
by Ann Wilson
Not much of an exciting plot in this mellow SF novel, although the grand picture that develops late contains interesting ideas. This happens sometimes with female authors: the men described and their interactions would be highly improbable in reality. I don't doubt it's vice-versa with male authors and female protagonists. Still worth a read.
Miles Wallingford
by James Fenimore Cooper
As the sequel to Afloat and Ashore you get thrown right in the stream where the first part broke off. After the conclusion of Miles' family affairs, expect some new heavy seafaring action and the finish of this excellent two-volume story.
The Petticoat Commando
by Johanna Brandt
Don't read this if you're a Brit, because it portraits the history of your people in a way you won't like. On the other hand, you may be interested in the truth, and also in the truth about the Anglo-Boer war where British monetary interests destroyed another nation, again, and built concentration camps where tens of thousands of people died. However, this is especially the story of two brave women who gradually came to be an important part of the Boer secret service, while at the same time habitating a farm surrounded by British troops! The source of it being the diary of one of them, the history is narrated freely and highly enjoyable.
Ventus
by Karl Schroeder
One of the best SF novels of the decade. What seemingly starts as a fantasy story soon becomes a major vision of nanotech, with an immersive adventure plot enjoyable by a wide audience.
Sand Doom
by Murray Leinster
SF novellette about survival on a glaring hot planet. You'll find the solution before reading about it, I'm sure. A bit rough on the edges, with racist undertones.
Itsy Bitsy Spider
by James Patrick Kelly
Excellent short piece about the bizarre but not so distant future when the elderly get robot prosthetics and care.
The K-Factor
by Harry Harrison
If you know Kingsbury's Psychohistorical Crisis or Asimov's Foundation trilogy, here is a story with a similar subject, that is, government by computation. The author is able to compress an interesting spy story into a short SF novella. Recommended.
Afloat and Ashore
by James Fenimore Cooper
Well written development of a seafaring youth in the new United States, and of course not lacking a love story. At the end, the yarn gets a bit loose.
The Story of the First Trans-Continental Railroad
by W.F. Bailey
Dry, boring recount of what it took financially and people-wise, more on the higher levels and politically, to build the railroad. Don't expect any interesting anecdotes because, as we learn, the project was mostly a military one!
The Blue Pavilions
by Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch
I agree this author is underrated. This naval adventure story is excellently constructed, well written, and historically interesting.
Sally's in the Alley
by Norbert Davis
A pity this sequel to 'Mouse in the Mountain' lives more from its cool dialogs than from the interesting scenery but the plot is complicated and not uninteresting. The dog is his usual self.
An Encounter in Atlanta
by Ed Howdershelte
A book based on wishful thinking instead of hard facts. While it may have pleased the author when writing it, and some head-in-the-sand tell-me-fairy-tales readers, as SF it's as floppy as Star Trek, and IMHO d--d useless.
The Naval History of the United States
by Willis J. Abbott
Detailed anecdotal history of U.S. American ships including Navy and the privateers, up to the year 1813. Not a boring read and well written.
The Worshippers
by Damon Francis Knight
Average (for 1953) SF short story. The subject is not new, the plot unexciting, the writing style a bit strange. I didn't like it.
Greylorn
by John Keith Laumer
Interesting (hard / military) SF novelette featuring a commander in a mutiny plus contact situation, with surprise at the end. The after-the-fact explanations are a bit shaky technologically but the plot is lively, the contact scenario interesting, and it's a fast, exciting read.
My Pet Recipes, Tried and True
by Various Authors
A pity the previous commenter made a joke of the title by talking about 'pet' recipes, because I already strangled my neighbour's cat. What do I do now with the carcass?
Supermind
by Gordon Randall Garrett
This Psi SF story concludes the trilogy of an FBI agent investigating bizarre crimes. The quality and humor isn't worse than the other two, the writing very well, and the end a surprise. This series is one of the highlights of 1960s SF, and still recommended.
The Burning Bridge
by Poul William Anderson
Realistic space travel takes time, and crews will prepare for it. In this short (hard SF) piece, Anderson speculates what happens when the travel starts in a hurry, and people revise their decision when it's nearly too late.
That Sweet Little Old Lady
by Gordon Randall Garrett
This appears to be the same as, or a slightly different version of Brain Twister from the same authors.
Sense from Thought Divide
by Mark Irvin Clifton
Interesting and funny SF novella speculating on how to use the fact that most alleged psi forces appear in situations fraught with emotion.
The Impossibles
by Gordon Randall Garrett
The same humor in a similar story makes the second volume in this SF novel series a satisfying followup to Brain Twister. The subject is a natural consequence of Twister's, and persons from that appear also in this book, so better read it beforehand.
Brain Twister
by Gordon Randall Garrett
Very funny but still the most believable scenario of how the FBI discovers their first telepaths. Don't miss it.
The Lani People
by J. F. Bone
SF novella centering on medical/veterinarian work and ethics issues, esp. the (also legal) question when a presumed species should be called human or alien. Having an interesting plot, the story is well readable for anyone. As the subject is a bit irrelevant (no chance of finding other races of Homo sapiens), there isn't much depth to the discussion on human-ness.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles
by Agatha Christie
This must be one of the most complicated mysteries constructed, and, as one of Christie's early works, thus shows how fine the author's abilities were. The iridescent picture of Poirot completes the impression of a mastermind at work on a masterpiece. Don't try to guess the murderer, you won't succeed with this one.
Scaramouche
by Rafael Sabatini
Similar to Sabatini's other bestseller, Captain Blood, there is a person content with his life, even introverted, that gets ripped out of perfect circumstances and thrown into boiling life where he must completely change and be leader, all the time staying true to himself. Additionally, this excellently written and gripping novel serves as history lesson about The Revolution, better than any dry history book. Not the usual Project Gutenberg quality of error freeness, it's still worth full points.
Gambler's World
by John Keith Laumer
Diplomat/agent/action short story disguised as science fiction. You can do much worse wasting 30 minutes.
The Hour of the Dragon
by Robert E. Howard
The classic fantasy novel, full length. Conan isn't just muscles in action, the author gives him some depth, and the story is better than some of today's writing in the genre. Howard's experience with pulp, and thus, the need to write crisp and still colourful, helped him making a book that is never boring and packs scores of landscape and action, magic and struggle for power. Even a small love story is part of the plot, but it will only show at the very end.
I will not give full points because I think Michael Moorcock writes even better fantasy.
The Innocence of Father Brown
by G.K. Chesterton
Extraordinary stories, excellent writing. Highly recommended.
Creative Chemistry
by Edwin E. Slosson
Not only is this a well readable introduction to some chemistry (the industrial, everyday household part) for beginners, it can also serve as a history of industrial chemistry including its geopolitical repercussions up to 1920. It's barely imaginable today how much the international conflicts up to that time were simply about resources, and thus how important were chemical inventions for all countries involved. Last not least is an extensive bibliography were many interesting further works are listed.
A Voyage to Arcturus
by David Lindsay
Well written esoteric poetic fantasy. Although having a crisp start, the story looks a bit as if invented as the writing was going, and I couldn't finish the book, not being satisfied with the plot. The dreamlike adventure and colorful descriptions may be just your drug, however.
The Mouse in the Mountain
by Norbert Davis
Light reading but a fine detective/adventure story in Mexico at the time of WW2, with complex characters and good, sometimes surreal humour. Only the dog isn't from the Earth which is the point, however.
Legacy
by James H. Schmitz
Reads like a kid's homework. Though desperately looking, I couldn't find a real story within.
Security
by Poul William Anderson
Interesting spy plot in a hard SF novella by a master. Poul Anderson knew 50 years ago why people are digging tantalum out of the Congo now.
Project Mastodon
by Clifford Donald Simak
An interesting variation on the standard time-machine theme. No loops encountered. The short story is tersely written and the end, when technicalities clear, abrupt. This makes it an early example of hard SF with a time machine, worth a read.
Planet of the Damned
by Harry Harrison
Fast agent action in a SF setting, influenced by the Cold War situation of the time. Well written and worth a read.
Star Surgeon
by Alan Nourse
Just like military SF caters to the potential souldier, this one tries to evoke fascination for the medical profession, quite successfully. The plot develops a bit slowly but soon enough Earth is left, and all the usual problems of a medical team growing together under pressure are coming up. Not excellent, but well worth a read.
The Naturalist on the River Amazons
by Henry Bates
Travelogue of ten years in the Amazons region, 150 years ago. With any traveloge, it helps to have Google Earth at hand. Bates' efforts in reaching and describing the remotest regions are as impressive as those by Alexander v. Humboldt. However, unlike Humboldt's Equinoctial Regions..., the author's account is less rambling, and he doesn't lose himself in scientific detail (these works were both supposed to be read by the public, both authors also published detailed scientific accounts!). This makes this work a colourful and exceptionally enjoyable book, containing many interesting anecdotes of people, animals, and plants of the Amazons region. A must for the serious traveller, even today.
Zero-Option
by Lindsay Brambles
Half military SF, half contact story, exploring the Zero option (alien is unfriendly and technically superior). Strategically accurate and worth a read.
Star Dragon
by Mike Brotherton
Long journey with trophy hunt in an interesting SF setting, posing as hard SF. To develop a plot, the author had to sacrifice the crew's professionalism in order to get some dramaturgy. At the end, he tries to force the novel into a contact story, failing. Worth a read.
Montes the Matador
by Frank Harris
Five excellent short stories, set in different countries. Liked them very much.
Oomphel in the Sky
by H. Beam Piper
Interesting short SF, exploring the possibility of manipulating religious belief system. It works out in the end, of which I'm sceptical in general. However, simple scientific demonstrations are certainly one way to achieve the goal.
The Status Civilization
by Robert Sheckley
Thrilling novel in a future with a gulag planet. Philosophical interesting as the author goes to extremes eradicating all crime on Earth, creating a black/white world (rings a bell, doesn't it?). Well worth a read.
The Lost Valley of Iskander
by Robert E. Howard
Adventure shorty from the pulp master, set in Afghanistan. Half an hour of excellent fun.
The Concrete Jungle
by Charles Stross
Stross is hot. He showed it with Accelerando. No less with this shortish novel that can be described either as Espionage Satire or Occult SF. He is hilariously funny, knows every bit he's talking about, and in this works, touches on important subjects such as Surveillance Society and Who Watches The Watchmen? Read him.
Everyone In Silico
by Jim Munroe
While we may at some time be able to simulate whole brains on computers, the concept of 'uploading' persons is flawed. At the most, you'll make a clone. That the author didn't think enough about that doesn't impact his storytelling which is fine and I could have read on, as well as the story could have gone on, since it wasn't really finished.
Um, and why would uploaded bodies be needed for work when you could just create or bake them as you please, is beyond me. Mech robots are the future, anyway.
Bartleby, The Scrivener
by Herman Melville
Fine, well written short story, a character study of a mysterious person. The fog lifts mostly at the end.
Space Prison
by Tom Godwin
While all previous reviewers heaped praise on this survival 'epic' (it has not quite the length of Helliconia), I'd like to point out two scientific flaws that make it more a works of emotion than hard SF.
First, the scarcity of the elements iron and aluminum is inconsistent with reality in two ways: planets have either all heavier elements, i.e. those that make rocks like calcium or silicon or iron or aluminum, on the surface or they don't, depending on temperature (rocky vs. gaseous) and if this is a first or second generation star. Second gen stars like sol collect material from space that was already inside stars but spewed out when it exploded as supernova which happens quite often around star birth regions. And that dust has lots of iron, because that's the element that accumulates in supernovae because it can't undergo fusion without losing energy. Also, iron must be in your diet, else you wouldn't have hemoglobine, so it must come from either animal blood or plants that have to take it from somewhere too. So you just herd animals or plants for your 500kg of iron that you need. Much easier than searching for it. But, no rocky planets without iron.
Second, having a double star in the center of which neither is much smaller than the other guarantees a chaotic orbit for your planet, due to the famous three body problem of physics. You also don't want that if you want evolution.
I know it's splitting hairs with a novel that is quite worth a read but I wanted to show why it cannot be hard SF.
Captain Blood
by Rafael Sabatini
Note to previous commenter: From Wikipedia:
Captain Blood Returns and The Fortunes of Captain Blood are not sequels, but collections of short stories set entirely within the timeframe of the original novel.
Zendyne
by Han Li Thorn
I had to stop reading this. While having an interesting start technology-wise, it soon becomes a standard hunt-the-outlaw plot. What's worse, being set into a future surveillance society, the reader is to believe that the main character gets away by driving his car on small streets only. I would guess such small problems are even solved by today's secret services. The author should do his/her homework and read some Sterling ("Shock Wave Rider") or Gibson first.
Read it for a cheap thrill.
Agent to the Stars
by John Scalzi
Worth reading, fun and all that.
Besides, it makes a point in a difficult debate: when to stop the intensive care machines? Scalzi's answer is: when you know exactly that the patient does not want to live. We just don't know, at the moment, how to get that answer (not even if the patient is awake, I might add).
The Boats of the 'Glen-Carrig'
by William Hope Hodgson
Fictional story about two boats full of people after abandoning their mothership in unknown waters. Great nautical adventure with mutant fauna & flora.
The Willows
by Algernon Blackwood
Subtle horror while canooing on the Danube river, well told by one of the masters. Does not feel as old as it is.
Myths and Legends of All Nations
by Various Authors
Just as the authors are Various, so is the quality. Many of the stories are catering for the iuvenile. Belongs in the childrens category.
Oberheim (Voices)
by Christopher Leadem
I agree with reviewers. At the end, the rough edges give a whole picture. The language, containing a few typos, reflects that. Do not expect an easy story. The chess comparison with space battle is probably too simple, he forgot about hiding in orbit and all that (read Weber or Drake). Worth reading but not excellent.
Accelerando
by Charles Stross
The novel won the 2006 Locus award, and was a nominee for the Hugo. Parts of it won earlier Hugos as novelettes.
Be sure to know your science/tech before embarking on this one. It may start as a usual postcyberpunk story but includes three generations, alien contacts, and a technology singularity. This was certainly, apart from Lem, the most far-reaching science fiction I've read so far. It's even hilariously funny, at times.
The Magician
by W. Somerset Maugham
This is Freudian. It's about the author being seduced by Mr Crowley. No woman would act like this. Even Maugham himself, in the introduction, concedes it's autobiographical.
Not much in it if you're hetero.
Doctor Who and the Empire of Glass
by Andy Lane
Nonsense, badly written. I bailed out when yet another VIP (Shakespeare) was introduced. I admit I never saw the series, is this something for kids?
Little Fuzzy
by H. Beam Piper
Another variation of the contact theme of this series, the very question of sapience being discussed in a setting of conflicts and legal battles. Would have been a bit boring without the surprise at the end.
The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu
by Sax Rohmer
There is a mastermind somewhere in Asia, plotting against the West, killing people - no not OBL but Dr. Fu Manchu! The difference, Fu Manchu is a scientific genius, and he can hear anything you say. On the other side, there's a super-Holmes with his usual Watson which has to be a doctor too, for the necessity of scrutinizing all the corpses that were killed in bizarre ways. Fast-paced but cheap action is all you get from this pulp mystery book, an obvious copy of Doyle which isn't particularly well written, either.
Geek Mafia
by Rick Dakan
As soon as you think the story gets a bit heavy on leftist naiveté, it accelerates and takes you with it. I'm not sure if one can pull off the described stunts everywhere, and especially after 9/11 I have my doubts, but that doesn't change the full points for the book.
The Mysterious Island
by Jules Verne
Much better than the series they showed in Germany at the end of the seventies. This should be on the bookshelf for teens as the language is clean and simple, and the subject important.
Naudsonce
by H. Beam Piper
Typical pulp SF. While there is an interesting idea and some technological knowledge (speech recognition) behind this short contact story, it is not really worked out and the explanation at the end does not hold water. However, I won't spoil the fun by pointing out the exact flaws here.
Adrift on an Ice-Pan
by Wilfred T. Grenfell
Forget the glorifying intro by another person (praising the author's work as medical missionary). What follows is a short dry account of a remarkable event.
Four-Day Planet
by H. Beam Piper
What I like about 60s SF is that the authors were fascinated with all kind of unusual astronomical environments, e.g., the planet with a 100-day day. That, correct technology and a good adventure/detective story makes good, though not excellent, reading.
Glimpses of Bengal
by Rabindranath Tagore
Letters from the thirty-year old author on his journey on house-boat through Bengal. Short philosophical musings and observations of the people and the land. Not as crisp as his short stories, less mature and more pathetic, but hey, how were you when you were thirty?
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
by Jules Verne
Although a classic, this book has lengths and lacks a good plot. Some paragraphs are missing (better try the 2nd version) - not the usual Gutenberg quality. Aquarians and ichthyologists will love it.
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom
by Cory Doctorow
According to Wikipedia, this novel won the Locus Award For Best First Novel 2003, and it was also the very first novel that appeared under a Creative Commons licence.
Like its predecessor, postcyberpunk focuses on technological developments in near-future societies, typically examining the social effects of an ubiquitous datasphere of computerized information, genetic engineering and modification of the human body, and the continued impact of perpetual technological change. Unlike "classic" cyberpunk, however, the works in this category feature characters who act to improve social conditions or at least protect the status quo from further decay.(Wikipedia)
Compared to the other postcyberpunk book I know, Snow Crash, this has less action and less 'hard' technology but I think Doctorow's right about the social consequences which are, at the end, depressing. A semi-sequel short story called Truncat was published on Salon.com in August 2003.
The Hungry Stones
by Rabindranath Tagore
Short stories telling the life of Northern-Indian people, some with surprises, some dramatic, but all told in colorful pictures-, in excellently clear language worth of a Nobel prize winner. The title story "The Hungry Stones" itself is a horror masterpiece containing a glimpse of the political situation of India decades before final liberation. I made german translations of three stories, google for "Die hungrigen Steine". The two others I found exceptional were "The Devotee" and "The Cabuliwallah", both dramatic and educational at the same time. Read it.
Blindsight
by Peter Watts
I must give full points here. This is state-of-the-art science fiction even the late Mr Lem couldn't have written better. In fact, this story can easily go as sequel to Lem's Fiasco and other contact stories from Lem like Eden or The Invincible, with the difference that Watts has the technology right, and this story is in the solar system. Not that Lem's technology was wrong, but Watts' is modern, and he explains where he got his from. Even more interesting are Watts' references at the end of the book which filled my to-read list a lot. Thanks to the author for releasing with a Creative Commons licence!