All is not what it seems to be on Arz, a planet where the inhabitants seem to routinely sacrifice themselves to a brutal enemy for no apparent reason. An exploratory mission from Earth surprisingly figures out why.
Fast, easy and amusing read by Roger Aycock, just the thing for on-the-go scifi fans.
Enchanting novel, full of rich, vibrant prose, strong characters and compelling dialogue. This is the kind of writing that, sadly, no one does any more. It draws you in and bathes you in its majesty, leaving you feeling more as if you'd just had an experience rather than simply read some lines in a book.
Each chapter is a separate story about the people who populate a rural New England community. Most of the stories center on the various hurdles men and women face in their relationships. Although Alice Brown more often than not paints her male characters as foolish, headstrong or simply thoughtless, she is not at all strident about it. Overall, this is a gentle and deeply satisfying book for people who love language, who love stories, and who love to read.
A couple of real mental telepathics go undercover in a Total Insight class run by a con artist. Harmless, but not even mildly interesting, as the characters all seem rather bloodless and uncompelling.
"The Dark Forest" is a luxuriantly written novel about Red Cross medical workers in Russia during World War I. Hugh Walpole had served in Russia as one of this courageous band of ministering angels, and obviously drew upon his experiences to craft "The Dark Forest."
Oddly, though, the book never really moves at much more than a steady, erudite pace. Walpole's language is breathtakingly beautiful and his observations powerful and deep. It is a cerebral book, not offering us very much action (even though it takes place in a war zone, and will appeal mostly to those who love Walpole's masterful way with words.
Walpole sequeled "The Dark Forest" with "The Secret City," which won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.
Joseph Hergesheimer -- now almost completely forgotten -- was at one time one of the most influential and popular writers in the United States. Read "The Bright Shawl" and you will see why. This story of a young American traveling to Cuba in the 1860s to help fight for the island's independence from Spain is driven not so much by action, but by the gorgeous language and rich atmospheres created by the author. Strangely mesmerizing...A perfect read for those who want to lose themselves in the exquisite words of a master writer.
This followup to "Tutt and Mr. Tutt" is amusing, but not up to the original -- mostly because of the long-winded legal descriptions and analyses included in almost every chapter. Although this information is presented in the form of conversations, they quickly become tedious, and you find yourself wishing the author would just get on with the story.
Clever, engaging book about the "semi-respectable" law firm of Tutt and Tutt, and the lengths to which it will go to obtain acquittals or favorable judgments for its clients. Each chapter is a different case, and each chapter is delightful and often surprising. A superb read.
Another in the seemingly endless series of light, fun, quirky "science fiction" stories of the period. In this one, an inventor by the name of Pat Pending comes up with an anti-gravity wand. Harmless fun and a quick read.
Taut, engrossing tale of a career criminal who pulls together a disparate array of neer-do-wells for a major crime. As other reviewers have noted, this is a great character study, but the action is also good and, because it was written in 1957, the sexual discussions are a bit more frank than they were in pulp fiction several years earlier. A terrific read.
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Fast, easy and amusing read by Roger Aycock, just the thing for on-the-go scifi fans.
Each chapter is a separate story about the people who populate a rural New England community. Most of the stories center on the various hurdles men and women face in their relationships. Although Alice Brown more often than not paints her male characters as foolish, headstrong or simply thoughtless, she is not at all strident about it. Overall, this is a gentle and deeply satisfying book for people who love language, who love stories, and who love to read.
Oddly, though, the book never really moves at much more than a steady, erudite pace. Walpole's language is breathtakingly beautiful and his observations powerful and deep. It is a cerebral book, not offering us very much action (even though it takes place in a war zone, and will appeal mostly to those who love Walpole's masterful way with words.
Walpole sequeled "The Dark Forest" with "The Secret City," which won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize.