Tag Archives: Science fiction

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Brian Bixby

I’ve not been writing fiction for the blog in recent months due to family and professional commitments. Not that I haven’t wanted to; this has been frustrating for me. So I’m happy to point you all to a very short … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing fiction | Tagged , , , | 17 Comments

Books of wonder: reviewing Ice and Picnic at Hanging Rock

Posted on March 4, 2018 by Brian Bixby

There are stupid ideas. And I had one. Why not review two genre-bending works of fiction, both by female British Commonwealth authors, both published in 1967? Won’t the comparisons be fun and informative? And so I sat down to read … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Future imperfect: reviewing the original Buck Rogers stories

Posted on April 1, 2017 by Brian Bixby

Of recent years, there have been complaints that science fiction is moving away from its roots, that it is less about heroic space opera and more about squishy liberal notions. This controversy has even upset the Hugo Awards. So I … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

My 2016 horror moldy oldie: Edward Page Mitchell, The Crystal Man

Posted on October 30, 2016 by Brian Bixby

It’s time for the annual “moldy oldie” reading, when I dig up some generally forgotten writer’s horror stories to read for Halloween. This year, Paula Cappa,  an award-winning writer and blogger, introduced me to the stories of Edward Page Mitchell, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

The 2015 moldy oldie(s): Midwich Cuckoos of the Damned

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Brian Bixby

Every Halloween I dust off a long-forgotten supernatural horror story to read and review. It’s been a busy November, which is why I’m only getting to writing up my review of 2015’s selection today.  This year’s “moldy oldie” is the … Continue reading →

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Planet of the . . . absurd

Posted on August 5, 2015 by Brian Bixby

Who knew that the author of Planet of the Apes (1963) was a Frenchman who was also author of The Bridge Over the River Kwai (1952)? Pierre Boulle (1912-1994) had a sense of the absurd which led him to depict men and apes … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Back to ARISIA

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Brian Bixby

So I’m off to ARISIA 2014, which bills itself as “New England’s largest and most diverse science fiction and fantasy convention.” As you might recall, I made up a Dragon Lady t-shirt before going last year. It got zero attention, which … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Chapter 32 of Martha’s Children, and Mudd

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Brian Bixby

What’s a good Catholic girl to do? Nora’s brother is leading a group of vampires who want reinstatement as cops, and Nora herself has been bitten by the same vampire who killed all those cops. So she turns, naturally, to … Continue reading →

Posted in Martha's Children, Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Review: The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Sept./Oct. 2013

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Brian Bixby

I wanted to like the current issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction more than I did. The writing is polished and there are some clever ideas here. That’s the problem: the stories are more successful going for my … Continue reading →

Posted in Reading fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Sillyverse is a year old!

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Brian Bixby

I started the blog on August 21, 2012, promising “stories of magic and mystery.” Since then, I’ve offered you two novel-length serials (one in progress), with a new chapter every week, two posts most week on varied topics, usually related … Continue reading →

Posted in Dragon Lady, Martha's Children, Writing fiction | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments