(2003! 2003! 2003!)

Keeping on the science fiction theme (not much news to report in the world of space, so far today!), here's a link to the website of SF author David Gerrold.

Gerrold got his start as a write of short SF and screenplays for the original Star Trek series. He's also written a number of SF novels. One, The Man Who Folded Himself, is an interesting time travel/parallel universe novel. Another, When Harlie Was One, is one of the few SF novels dealing with the development of artificial intelligence where the AI doesn't go berserk and try to kill the human race (the other is Robert A. Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress). more...

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 09:46 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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(From the text, I'll bet you can figure out when this is from!)

Here's a talk that Terry Bisson gave in 1993. Good stuff here about and for those of us who grew up with Willey Ley, Apollo, the promise of the shuttle and more.

Oh yes, and a bit about the state of science fiction in 1993 that certainly still applies to the state of science fiction in 2003.

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 09:43 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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(We're gonna party like's it's 2003!)

Here's an article that appeared in SFRevu by David G. Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer. If you don't know who they are, seek out any one of the books that they have edited or co-edited for Tor Books. Among the excellent titles that I own are The Ascent of Wonder and The Hard SF Renaissance.

I hope this article is an indication that they are working on another massive tome, this time dedicated to the subject of space opera. more...

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 09:36 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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(Another classic from 2003!)

If you know me, or if you've read far enough into the posts here, you know I have a certain fondness for young adult science fiction (what we used to call "juneviles").

The problem is I'll often remember part of a plot--or even just a picture.

Now there's a site called Stump the Bookseller. Loganberry Books of Cleveland allows you to post questions, descriptions, etc., on their site of a book you are looking for. If the proprietor can't help you, maybe one of the members of the community can.

The service costs $2.00, but if you're awake at nights, trying to figure out who wrote that favorite book from your childhood, it might be worth it!

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 08:59 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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(We're gonna party like's it's 2003!)

A website dedicated to my favorite books as a kid (other than the Robert A. Heinlein young adult books, the Tom Swift series and the Chris Godfrey series).

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 06:56 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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(2003 continues to roll along!)

John Brunner was a science fiction writer who, unfortunately, is pretty much forgotten by today's readers. Most active in the 1960's and 1970's, he died, appropriately enough, during the 53rd World Science Fiction Convention in Glasgow, Scotland (1995). more...

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 06:41 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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(Another classic from 2003!)

Robert A. Heinlein still remains one of my favorite authors. Here's a website that quotes bits and pieces of his wit and wisdom. The only downside is that the site is not updated (no changes since June 14, 2000!) and the person running the site does not seem to respond to e-mail. But, keep hitting your "Refresh" button for a stream of comments... more...

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The list can now be viewed here.

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The list can now be viewed here.

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(Yet another recycled entry from 2002!)

Found a copy of JWC's Cloak of Aesir—in hardcover! With an intact dustjacket! First edition, from 1952, in pretty darn good condition. more...

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(Recycled from 2002. I'll eventually re-post a second entry I did on this book as well.)

The review can now be viewed here.

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 08:17 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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(A posting recycled from 2001...but not a Space Odyssey!)

My current reading in SF is mostly firmly set in good old (and new) space opera. Primarily, it has been:

David Weber's "Honor Harrington" series: "Something new" in the litany. Not the greatest things since sliced bread, but a lot of fun. Plus, Baen Books distribution methods (more on that in a separate note) makes it easy to get into the series. more...

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 08:06 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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One of the most invaluable sites on the web. By the time you work through the Atomic Rockets section, you'll be ready to fly your own spaceship!

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Another good non-fiction reference is Borderlands of Science by the late Charles Sheffield. As with the previous book mentioned, Baen Books has an electronic version available. If I could get anywhere near the level of these stories, I'd be a very happy camper.

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 07:51 AM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Indistinguishable from Magic is a non-fiction book by the late Dr. Robert L. Forward. He takes a look at (what was at the time of the writing) some bleeding-edge science. A good book for reference if you're writing science fiction. And, even better, Baen Books has an electronic version available!

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 07:49 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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One possible setting for a story that I'd like to write is on the Moon, around the time that it starts to get explored again. This work is considered one of the seminal papers on the structure of the Moon.

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 07:46 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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"Another fertile source of ["moral insanity"] appears to be an undue indulgence in the perusal of the numerous works of fiction...with the effect of vitiating the taste and corrupting the morals of the young."

"Parents cannot too cautiously guard their young daughters against this pernicious practice."

(Dr. W.H. Stokes, Scientific American, April 1849)

Posted by: Fred Kiesche at 07:02 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters.

(Frank Lloyd Wright)

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My books are water; those of great geniuses are wine. Everybody drinks water.

(Mark Twain, Notebook)

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(This posting is made from 100% previously posted electrons and bits!)

I was flipping through some books today and started re-reading some of the afterwords and acknowledgments that Arthur C. Clarke has put into his books. It's interesting to see how much these short essays have influenced me. more...

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