Hello, Stranger. Let's talk about Richard Matheson's Bid Time Return. The Short of It Plot: A man travels back in time to meet the dead woman whose picture he fell in love with. Page Count: 288 Award: 1976 World Fantasy Award Worth a read : No Primary Driver: (Plot, World, or Character? ) Bechdel Test : Pass Technobabble: Minimal. Review: This book is just an underwhelming romance novel with a time travel twist. A blend of dull, sappy, and creepy. Enjoyed the actual traveling part of time travel - though easy, it was well executed. Protagonist pushes pathetic and clingy to new levels. No characters act even remotely believable; no chemistry to show actual love. Without that, it's just obsession and stalking. The Medium of It Spoiler Free! The name of this book was changed to Somewhere in Time after a movie based on it was released. I have not seen the movie, many people seem to have enjoyed it. I did not enjoy this book. Richard Collier fi...
Hello, Stranger. Let's talk about Robert R. McCammon's Boy's Life. The Short of It Plot: Twelve year old Cory's quiet life in 1960s Alabama is shaken up when, by chance, he witnesses a murder. Page Count: 625 Award: 1992 World Fantasy Award Worth a read : Absolutely Primary Driver: (Plot, World, or Character ) Bechdel Test : Pass Technobabble: N/A Review: This objectively boring and meandering book is somehow completely and utterly engrossing. Truly exceptional writing captures both the whimsy of childhood and the slow maturation of its characters. Backdrop of 1960s in the South used well: both the idyllic aspects of life in days when the milkman still made his rounds, and the darker aspects of embedded racism. It's a snapshot of life with overlaid story elements - but it just works. Switches from casually humorous to introspective to devastating and back, without warning. A few scenes really punch you right in the gut. The Medium of It Spoi...
Hello, Stranger. Let's talk about Roger Zelazny's Lord of Light The Short of It Plot: The Hindu gods have kept the world in the Dark Ages: it is time for them to die. Page Count: 319 Award: 1968 Hugo Worth a read : Yes Primary Driver: (Plot, World , or Character) Bechdel Test : Fail Technobabble: Minimal Review: A fascinating depiction of religion and reincarnation supported by technology. Multiple stories (7) of varying quality come together well, though pacing can be a bit all over. Superb world-building and novel use of Hindu myths. The Medium of It Spoiler Free! There are a handful of quotes in this part of the review. They all come from the first ten pages, so fear not that all shall be spoilt. It shall be alright. The opening scene of Lord of Light is an excellent hook. His followers called him Mahasamatman and said he was a god. He preferred to drop the Maha- and the -atman, however, and called himself Sam. He never claimed to be a g...
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