SCBryce
Book Review – Man After Man: An Anthropology of the Future
Author: Dougal Dixon Cover Artist: Philip Hood Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Binding: Hardcover Publication Date: September 1990 Dougal Dixon’s Man After Man: An Anthropology of the Future follows in the footsteps of After Man: A Zoology of the Future in its conjectures on how life might evolve over the next millions of years. Rather than [...]
Book Review – Fantastical Visions III
Edited by: W. H. Horner, Christina Stitt Cover Artist: Stephanie Pui-Man Law Publisher: Fantasist Enterprises Binding: Paperback Publication Date: July 2005 he anthology “Fantastical Visions III” contains an introduction by Elizabeth Swanstrom and fourteen short stories by Cindy Ellen Hill (“Singing Dragon”), Jeremy Yoder (“Always Greener on the Other Side”), Eliza Chan (“Blood of the [...]
Book Review – Exploring Harry Potter
Author: Elizabeth D. Schafer Publisher: Beacham Publishing Binding: Hardcover Publication Date: 2000 Published just after the release of the fourth book but before the release of the first movie, “Exploring Harry Potter” states that its intended audience is students, teachers, and parents. However, after reading the book, it is unclear whether any of these groups [...]
Book Review – After Man: A Zoology of the Future
Author: Dougal Dixon Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Binding: Hardcover Publication Date: 1998 After Man: A Zoology of the Future” is one of Dougal Dixon’s more than 20 books on natural history, including speculative earth science. The premise is simple: Dixon has removed humans and their domestic animals from the earth and allowed 50 million years [...]
Book Review – The Flight of Dragons
Author: Peter Dickinson Cover Artist: Wayne Anderson Publisher: HarperCollins Binding: Hardcover Publication Date: 1981 Animal Planet recently aired a special, “Dragons: A Fantasy Made Real.” Anyone who enjoyed this special effect-laden mockumentary narrated by Patrick Stewart will naturally be interested in its inspiration. Peter Dickinson’s “The Flight of Dragons” and illustrated by Wayne Anderson was [...]
Book Review – The Goblin Companion: A Field Guide to Goblins
Author: Brian Froud, Terry Jones Cover Artist: Brian Froud Publisher: Barnes & Noble Books Binding: Hardcover Publication Date: 1998 If anyone is qualified to create a book as audaciously titled as “The Goblin Companion: A Field Guide to Goblins,” it is Brian Froud and Terry Jones. Froud is long-time collaborator of innovator Jim Henson (creator [...]
Book Review – A-Z of Tolkien (aka The Tolkien Companion)
Author: David Day Publisher: Random House Binding: Paperback Publication Date: 1993 David Day’s “A-Z of Tolkien” is more than a simple reference companion for JRR Tolkien’s world of Middle-Earth. It is an act of devotion. Tolkien, as the Introduction explains, created the worlds of Middle-Earth and the Undying Lands as a gift to England. Essentially, [...]
Book Review – Abhorsen
Author: Garth Nix Publisher: EOS Binding: Paperback Publication Date: 2003 Award-winning author Garth Nix’s conclusion to “Sabriel” and “Lirael” is “Abhorsen.” Taking place immediately following “Lirael,” “Abhorsen” also splits time among many characters of this dual-world. The Abhorsen Sabriel and her husband, King Touchstone, struggle in magic-less Ancelstierre, where their magical abilities are useless. The [...]
Book Review – Lirael
Author: Garth Nix Publisher: EOS Binding: Paperback Publication Date: 2001 Award-winning author Garth Nix’s follow-up to “Sabriel” is “Lirael.” Taking place some fourteen years after the first book, “Lirael” splits time among many characters of this dual-world. Here again are Sabriel and (her now husband and king) Touchstone. This sequel introduces their children, Ellimere and [...]
Book Review – Sabriel
Author: Garth Nix Publisher: EOS Binding: Paperback Publication Date: 1996 Award-winning author Garth Nix’s “Sabriel” is one of many dual-world fantasies. The title character, a teenaged girl, is a boarding student at the Wyverley College, “Established in 1652 for Young Ladies of Quality” in Ancelstierre. Ancelstierre is similar to our own world – it is [...]
Book Review – The Second Book of Lankhmar
Author: Fritz Leiber Cover Aritist: Chris Moore Publisher: Gollancz Binding: Paperback Publication Date: December 6, 2001 During the 1930s, Fritz Leiber and a friend invented the classic sword and sorcery characters, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Leiber quickly took over the characters, penning nearly 40 stories over a 50 year period. “The Second Book of [...]
Book Review – The First Book of Lankhmar
Author: Fritz Leiber Cover Artist: Chris Moore Publisher: Gollancz Binding: Paperback Publication Date: June 14 2001 During the 1930s, Fritz Leiber and a friend invented the classic sword and sorcery characters, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. Leiber quickly took over the characters, penning nearly 40 stories over a 50 year period. “The First Book of [...]
