Well, I didn't think I'd be able to see this movie until it was available to rent. But praise the Lord, I was able to watch it in theaters for my birthday, and thus am able to deliver my analysis, as requested by Miss Runyan, while it is still relevant. Overall, I'd give this movie... Continue Reading →
If you like realistic hard sci-fi, (and can put up with a lot of cursing,) then you should definitely check out Andy Weir's novel The Martian. (Yes, I totally planned this to coincide with the Project Hail Mary movie. Totally...) Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on... Continue Reading →
I listened to Frankenstein on audiobook recently, as part of my dive into transhumanism for Simulacrum research, and it hit me suddenly one afternoon at work. Frankenstein is really kind of the first dystopian sci fi novel. It's the first story in which misguided science/technology produces something evil that must be defeated. Later, more obvious... Continue Reading →
I usually try to keep it positive on here - being a thermostat and not a thermometer, recommending good stuff instead of ripping into bad stuff. (Or at least recommending more than I rip. I'll admit I have fun ripping.) But, I often find myself in the position of standing in a bookshop, trying to... Continue Reading →
I had an Amazon gift card, but I couldn't decide what to buy with it. I had two older novels that I'd researched well and knew I'd probably like, but I wanted to mix up what I was reading. I'd had A Star Curiously Singing by Kerry Nietz on my TBR list for a long... Continue Reading →
I loved this book. Lee Urban was a fantastic protagonist, the concept was so fun and immersive, and the themes were great. And for those of you who, like me, see romance mentioned in the Amazon reviews and go 'uh oh,' don't worry. Candace Kade kept it clean and real, and there was never a... Continue Reading →
I watched The Matrix for the first time this February. I know -- I'm quite behind. However, I was never too interested in the movie, because I'd heard its premise already and knew about the various cultural tie-ins, like the red-pill blue-pill thing. And to be honest, I found it kind of cheesy, with the... Continue Reading →
Andrew Klavan's Mindwar trilogy was a fun, thrilling read with powerful, lifelike characters and a plot that kept me up late at night. When Rick lost the ability to run, he came one step closer to becoming a hero. New High Score! New Record Time! Rick nodded with grim satisfaction. He laid the game controller... Continue Reading →
I've heard the opinion in the Christian world that reading speculative fiction (eg fantasy, sci-fi, steampunk) is a waste of time. It's been called 'escapist.' I've already gone over the topic of escapism before, but I'd like to reiterate that something is only an escape when someone makes it into that. Fantasy isn't inherently escapist... Continue Reading →
This summer, my youth pastor preached a series on worldview. His lecture on animism was particularly interesting, as he pointed out just how deeply it's infiltrated the entertainment of today. In what ways? Let's start by defining animism. It was certainly a term I had never heard before. My pastor defined animism as the over-emphasis... Continue Reading →
