Review: The Joy of Booking: A guide to buying and selling used SF books

The Joy of Booking: A guide to buying and selling used SF books by Bud Webster

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Bud Webster, a longtime science fiction writer, critic, bookseller, and above all fan provides the reading of this work with am expanse of practical advice on becoming a successful dealer of science fiction books. Most of this advice is applicable to any sort of bookselling or in fact to the sale of anything you might wish to sell. If this is what you are looking for then I highly recommend the book. However, my personal reading of the book and my own recommendation has nothing to do with learning to sell books or anything else. I recommend this book so that you can share in the excitement that Bud feels about science fiction and the book business. Bud has a great sense of humor and the many anecdotes that fill this book are truly priceless.



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Review: Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life

Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life by Philip José Farmer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



This fictional biography discusses the life of Clark "Doc" Savage, Jr. The story is told as if the events published in the pulp magazines were fictionalized accounts of real events. Farmer not only summarizes the events of the most prominent of Doc's adventures but provides chapters on the allies, gadgets, and villains that Doc faced. Appendices provide a chronology of the adventures, a bibliography of Doc related stories, and a genealogy of Doc that details his links to Tarzan and other prominent figures. Whether you are new to Doc or an old hand this book will enhance your study of the Man of Bronze.



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Review: ePulp Sampler Vol 1

ePulp Sampler Vol 1 by John Picha

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



This is a small collection of five New Pulp stories offered as a sampler pack for readers. Obviously, the hope is that upon reading these short stories you will want to no more about the characters and/or follow the authors. As such this collection is a mixed bag.

The first story, Rurik of the Demonwatch: Arena of Death by Russ Bopp,has a promising title character but as one reads it becomes more and more disappointing. While the story moves along quickly and is interesting enough if overly formulaic. It is obvious that the author was in desperate need of an editor for this story as there are numerous typos and grammatical errors. As second draft of this story might have been a winner but this unpolished work seems ill fit in a sampler volume designed to draw readers.

Dead Reckoner by Matthew J. Davies is the story of a Zulu cursed soldier named Axamander and is better written than the first story with few issues with grammar or spelling. The author does an excellent job setting the mood and his description of war in the trenches of World War I rings true. The dialogue moves the story along nicely.

N.R. Grabe's Wild Marjoram: The Pill is an interesting Noir tinted story with several twists that make it difficult to talk about in detail without giving too much away. Suffice it to say that this story is the gem of the collection.

The final two stories; Pandora Driver: Blind Luck and Skyracos: Set Adrift, both by John Picha, were both decent stories and did not suffer from the problems of the first.

Overall this is definitely worth a look. Most collections or samplers are uneven in quality and this one is no exception. I recommend that folks give this FREE sampler a try - if you like pulp you are bound to enjoy one or more of the stories.



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Review: Skin Game

Skin Game by Jim Butcher

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



In yet another great romp in Jim Butcher's Dresden Files universe Dresden finds himself again entangled in the politics of the Fey. Being the Winter Knight comes with a lot more than just a power boost. In order to pay off a debt held by Mab he is placed on loan to one of his worst former enemies and finds himself involved with powers beyond even those he has faced in the past.

As always, Butcher tells a fantastic story that keeps you on the edge of your seat and hurriedly turning the next page. While Dresden himself is a fantastic character what I feel makes these books special is the well written supporting cast. His support crew of Murphy, Butters, Molly, Michael, and of course Mouse all show up here and play significant roles in the plot. Highly recommended!



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Review: Don't Put That in There!: And 69 Other Sex Myths Debunked

Don't Put That in There!: And 69 Other Sex Myths Debunked by Aaron E. Carroll

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



"Don't Put That in There" is an amusing and informative romp through all of the questions that you, I, and everyone else have always wondered but were afraid to ask (and even more afraid to Google). From classics like whether size matters the G-spot to helpful advice on piercings and shaving and on to more risque topics including anal sex and the toys and other aids topic that forms the title of the book, nothing is considered taboo.

Those readings this work for practical answers to questions in their own lives can feel secure that the advice contained herein is reliable. Carroll and Vreeman are both medical doctors with a broad range of applicable experience in these areas. Moreover, the authors have included an extensive list of references to medical studies discusses in each section for further reading. Those reading simply for enjoyment will find the authors' direct prose and matter of fact approach to these questions a delight.



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Review: Magic City: Recent Spells

Magic City: Recent Spells by Paula Guran

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



This fantastic anthology brings together a wide selection of authors who are known for their urban fantasy works including a short story from Jim Butcher's popular Dresden Files universe. The twenty-five stories included are extremely diverse featuring love spells, a blind witch, a magical library, and even a mystical Nigerian cab driver. The stories selected were uniformly of high quality with absolutely no filler material.

I particularly enjoyed Scott Lynch's "In the Stacks" where four wizard students venture into a living library to complete their final exams - they are required to re-shelve a book. This proves to not be the simple task that the students might have imagined. Another highlight was Nacy Kress' "Stone Man" about a young skateboarder who discovers that not only is there another, more fantastical world out there, that he has powers that may make him important in that world, but that he already has enemies there.

In truth, nearly every story in this collection was a high point. I truly hope that the title format implies that there are further "Magic City" volumes to come. If so, I look forward to reading each one.



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Review: Intelligently Designed: How Creationists Built the Campaign against Evolution

Intelligently Designed: How Creationists Built the Campaign against Evolution by Edward Caudill

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



In this useful history of the Intelligent Design movement, Edward Caudill explores "creationism not just as a science-religion issue, but as a political movement that skillfully engage[s] the press with a campaign grounded in American myths." Caudill shows how the Scopes Trial in set the stage for the conflict between creationists and science as it has played out ever since.

In spite of the lack of evidence to support their claims, creationists/intelligent designers, have been highly successful in following William Jennings Bryan's model of appealing to an underlying anti-intellectualism rampant in the United States along with a strong sense of support for traditional values and wisdom.

While Charles Darrow clearly "won" the trial on debating and factual terms Scopes was still convicted and Bryan's intellectual followers have succeeded in keeping creationism, in the guise of intelligent design, at the forefront of the national conversation. Opinion polls consistently show that nearly 50% of Americans, and a far larger percentage of Conservatives/Republicans, still do not believe in the clearly established science behind evolution.

The release of this book is especially well timed due to the recent Bill Nye-Ken Hamm evolution debate and the continued assault on science education in our schools. Highly recommended - essential reading to anyone teaching science at the high school or collegiate level!




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