All Reviews by Sid
Naudsonce
by H. Beam Piper
Stories like this makes me wonder why H. Beam Piper is not up there with Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke as one of the GREATEST modern sci-fi authors.
Thuvia Maid of Mars
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
After reading the first three books, I eargerly anticipated reading this novel. To this end I was somewhat disappointed. The action is not as fast-paced, and to me the prose seems lacking. Still I haven't finished the novel yet, so maybe it would be a lot better when I get to the end.
A Princess of Mars
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Well it was hard to get through the first two chapters, but after that I couldn't stop reading it! Very enthralling, when you start reading this book, you will actually feel that you are there in Mars watching the action and seeing the plot unfold! Download this now!! You'll never regret it!
Omnilingual
by H. Beam Piper
This is one gem of a short story. Although right now unbelievable, the story is about an archeological expedition of an ancient Martian civilization. Faced with many unknowns, the heroine Martha has a task to decipher the Martian language without the help of a Rosetta Stone. This story is very gripping from beginning to end.
The Edge of the Knife
by H. Beam Piper
This is a pretty good read. Not very outstanding, but a gem of a short story. It does serve as an introduction to the Terro-Human Future History series, but nothing more. You've seen the other reviews about the story of how a professor can see into the future, that pretty much sums it up. Check it out if you want something else if you like Asimov's Foundation Series.
The Castle of Otranto
by Horace Walpole
Well, it is the first gothic novel. So if you're a gothic buff/nerd take a read. Although it might have been a scary read back in the 18th century, modern readers would probably ridicule these events. In fact, you can probably spot a foreshadowing of a Monty Python gag. It's a bad book, but I enjoyed it for what it was worth.
Carmilla
by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
A must read for those who love Dracula and even Interview with a Vampire. A novel of two girls who eventually become lovers in a lonely Eastern European castle, the tale has an aura of mystery, horror, and even sexuality. Reading this book, you will witness the birth of the enigmatic and beautiful vampire woman. Done reading my review? Download it now and enjoy!
Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
This book is more than a horror novel. It's very mythological in scale. Yes it has its scary moments made famous by countless movies, but there is a lot more to that. One recurring theme that impresses me even to this day is the constant fight between master and creation, father and son, and even hints of God and Adam. Who knows if Mary Shelley meant to write this way, but it shows a mark of a talent far too wasted later in her life. Read it for the horror, the tension, the loneliness and guilt.
Dracula
by Bram Stoker
This book's greatest asset is the fear of the unknown. Very different from what one sees in the movies, it's a tale of men and women fighting a monster that most of the time fades into the background when there are close to capturing the vampire; the only question is not when will Dracula appear, but what will Dracula do to the characters?
One flaw really is the characters. They're a bit two dimensional considering the times; i.e. men are strong, intelligent and masaculine, women are damsels in distress.
The History of Caliph Vathek
by William Beckford
This gothic novel takes a different turn from most. It's not a story based in a castle in Europe, with ghosts, demons, and vampires . . . this time it's set in Middle East about a Caliphate's descent to hell, almost like Dante's Inferno without the happy ending. A wonderful read.
Sri Vishnu Sahasranaamam
by Anonymous
Well . . .if you want to conduct a puja or a satsang and don't know what to chant for prayer, this book is perfect for you. However, if you want to study Hinduism using a primary source, look elsewhere unless you are fluent in Sanskrit.
Infantry Drill Regulations, United States Army, 1911
by United States War Department
Like the excerpt says, it's pretty much a text for drill formations. It's useful, I suppose, if you want to study the history of US Army training, but otherwise a boring read.
Northanger Abbey
by Jane Austen
Well, to put this book in context, it's like Scary Movie but for the early Victorian era. The whole novel parodies many popular gothic novels at the time, lacing itself with the usual satire of English society. It can be funny to some, but I thought it was a tad bit boring.
Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare
Ok, people might be outraged, but I think Romeo and Juliet is not the best of Shakespeare; in fact it's overrated. The characters are no more than cardboard cutouts of Italian stereotypes with sacchirine love poems littered all over the pages. It's a cultural icon, but one should take the time to actually read the play to form one's opinion.
Dr. Faustus
by Christopher Marlowe
An underrated classic! A gripping tale of a man's unresolving battling conscience of good and evil. An allegory of both theological and psychological struggle, more students should read this play in high school or even college English lit classes.
The Monk
by Matthew Lewis
A very underrated classic, it's of intrigue, lust, scandal, incest . . .everything! It's a very thrilling book of a famous Spanish monk who for the first time is dealing with his desire for a young girl who trusts him very much and how he battles the demons from within and without each and every chapter. This book is laced with mystery, horror, theology, death. A very well written gothic classic.