A Birch Tree, A White Fox by Elena Arsenieva

There is a planet on which you cannot speak. It is a desert with a breathable atmosphere, speckled with oases. Continue reading →

Skull-Face by Robert E. Howard

This is the best Fu Manchu story I’ve come across so far. Oh, technically it’s not about Fu Manchu, but Continue reading →

The Gift of the Prodigal by Peter Taylor

This appears to be a story studied in class, given that a couple of Q&A websites have posted questions like: Continue reading →

The Million-Dollar Wound by Dean Whitlock

While technically taking place in Bolivia, the feel of the setting oozes Vietnam. The U.S. has a draft in place, Continue reading →

The Cambist and Lord Iron by Daniel Abraham

The two couldn’t be more different. Olaf, the cambist, is a humble exchanger of foreign currencies with a good reputation. Continue reading →

The Crystal Spheres by David Brin

The Fermi paradox asks why, if aliens exist, they haven’t contacted us yet. While a vast number of explanations have Continue reading →

Tattercoats by Midori Snyder

While sometimes described as an erotic variation of the Donkeyskin fairytale, I also see this as an effective take on Continue reading →

The Streets of Ashkelon by Harry Harrison

This brings back memories. When I was ten I read it, loved it and described it to my sister, who Continue reading →