With Both Hands

Sign in Subscribe

Science Fiction

Linkfest 2021-02-06: The Implied Appendix N

The Implied Appendix N I like the phrase “The Implied Appendix N” to refer to the whole corpus of pulp adventure that formed the background of modern pop culture. DIY vs. BUY BUY BUY As the history of Gary Gygax at TSR illustrates, what makes a good hobby and what

Deadman Switch by Timothy Zahn Book Review

Deadman Switch by Timothy Zahn [Amazon link] is something a little different, a slow-burning but high-tension legal thriller wrapped up in science fiction dressings. It is also a multilayered story featuring anti-religious prejudice, providence, and the morality of lying. This particular work is more on the literary end of the

The Long View 2008-03-20: Missing Greenhouse Signature; Arthur C. Clarke; JFK & Religion; Dune 2.0; Extreme Good Friday

The passing of Arthur C. Clarke in 2008 spurred this comment by John J. Reilly: Here is a mystery: Clarke was usually counted among the Big Three of science fiction in the second half of the 20th century; the other two were Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein. All of them

Larry Niven on the Implied Contract Writers have with Readers

Via Stephen Herreid, I saw this post from the Writers of the Future, a long-standing program that seeks to identify and promote new science fiction and fantasy authors. WofF has lots of judges, and I’m sure that not all of them would agree with Larry here, but this is

A Coming of Age by Timothy Zahn

A Coming of Age by Timothy Zahn [Amazon link] is exactly the kind of thing Tim Zahn is good at writing: a whodunit with a science fiction milieu and a heavy dose of intrigue. Is is also further evidence that Zahn is the most consistent sci fi writer in the

Emperor Norton Ponders Thick and Thin Descriptions

Earlier this month, Emperor Norton wrote an absolutely fascinating blog post on the limits of description in fantastic literature. Norton promised a follow-up on creating dense descriptions, but in the interim, Norton has written a further exploration of the limits of description that contains an assertion that clicked with me:

Alan Dean Foster is in a Copyright Dispute with Disney

#DearMickey #DisneyMustPay According to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, author Alan Dean Foster is in a copyright dispute with Disney. Disney seems to be making the rather bold claim that they only purchased the rights to distribute the works in the Star Wars universe, not the liability