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There are some books which have stood the test of time and have been deemed classical and reviewing is a futile effort. Like an art critic reviewing the Mona Lisa or the Sistine Chapel with anything short of awe and respect, reviewing a classic novel feels a little arrogant. How does one critique what has passed the test of time?
And so we come to the book: Robert Heinlein’s “The Moon is Harsh Mistress.”
While I would never call myself a Trekkie–I much prefer Star Wars, and I have never been able to buy into Roddenberry’s vision of a utopian future where mankind has solved it’s scarcity problems and given up money, but I digress–I’ve watched enough to know that the guys who die are almost always–always–the guys in the red shirts. They’re unnamed extras, low level members of Star Fleet that die to provide some level of tension to the episode. And this book is through their eyes, through the eyes of the red shirted members of “away teams” that die at the first sign of danger. [cont…]
I have a friend who won’t read fiction. He doesn’t eschew just the fun stuff that I enjoy and use to escape, but even the more difficult (though just as enjoyable) classics and serious fiction. He just doesn’t see the point. He’s not the only one. I run into a lot of people like that. Now, […]
And now, for something completely different… I occasionally (ok, frequently) read books purely for the fun of it. Often, they are science-fiction. Just because I like it. Recently, I was sent a copy of S. Andrew Swann‘s new book “Messiah,” a space opera set in the 26th century. Since it is the third book in […]
Science-fiction is a far cry from the world of the law, politics, and the other drivel I muse about on this blog. Recently, however, I ran across a book that takes an interesting and speculative look at all those topics. I read it and enjoyed it, and I found the thought experiment insightful and mind-popping. […]
Cover via Amazon Just a quick note: several months ago, one of the book review sites I follow issued a request for, of all things, book reviews, specifically in the fantasy or science fiction genres. I had just started Brandon Sanderson’s The Way of Kings, and I shot Mark Chitty, the blog’s owner, a quick […]
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