Category Archives: science fiction

Book Review of “Captain Video: The New Adventures” (2024)

Cover art for “The New Adventures of Captain Video” by Jason Russell

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When I saw that Jason Russell at Starry Eyed Press had written a new Captain Video book I was a little surprised. I guess I shouldn’t have been. After all, they were the ones who had asked me to write my Tom Corbett, Space Cadet serial (which, by the way, is picking up more traction on Kindle Vella).

I think Russell and Starry Eyed Press have their eye on reviving a lot of old science fiction television that is now in the public domain. That’ll be exciting. I can’t wait.

Curious, I picked up a virtual copy.

It’s a fast read, which is good. This could easily have been serialized on Kindle Vella as well, but it works as a small book, too.

I must admit to knowing next to nothing about the original Captain Video and His Video Rangers TV show (1949-1955).

According to the summary at Amazon:

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Review of “Exhalation: Stories” (2019) by Ted Chiang

chiang

© James Pyles

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I became aware of Ted Chiang‘s book Exhalation: Stories (2019) when it was recently promoted on Bookbub (I get an email from them daily). I was curious, so I looked the book up on Amazon.

First of all, 90% of its Amazon reviews are four and five stars. That’s pretty impressive.

Secondly, under “Editorial Reviews,” there’s a long, long list of quotes from professional reviewers giving the book high praise. Even former President Barack Obama said:

“A collection of short stories that will make you think, grapple with big questions, and feel more human. The best kind of science fiction.”

Joyce Carol Oates of “The New Yorker” said:

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“The Last Oasis of Mars” to be Published in High Tower Magazine

pirates

Promotional art for “The Last Oasis of Mars.”

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My steampunk science fantasy short story “The Last Oasis of Mars” has been accepted for publication in the brand new periodical High Tower Magazine.

So far, the publication is entirely digital, so I don’t have any promo art from them. That’s why I posted some of my AI art (the story is 100% me) above for the visual.

“Oasis” is a callback to the “Barsoom” tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs as well as the pulp fiction of the early part of the 20th century. A lot of this was my introduction to science fiction and fantasy when I was a teen, so it’s near and dear to my heart.

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Promoting “Galactic Treks” and “Our Legacy, The Stars: A Tom Corbett Adventure”

promo

Promotional image for my recent work.

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I used a recent Starry Eyed Press newsletter to craft the composite image you see above. I’m sure you can tell this is all about self-promotion. When you’re an indie author, you are also your own marketing department.

My novelette “The Aliens” is now published in the Starry Eyed Press anthology Galactic Treks: Short Stories. This is brand new and I’m one of five featured authors.

“The Aliens is an old school science fiction tale about a starship, the rise of a new and uncertain second officer, and after 200 years of space exploration, the very first contact with an intelligent, space traveling race. Will this signal disaster for humanity or a bold new step into the final frontier?

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Soshi’s Magic Teleporting Divorce Machine

sukkah

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

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“A little early for Sukkot,” Brad chuckled to himself.

“Very funny.” Soshi winced at another of his jokes criticizing her Judaism. “We could use it as a sukkah, but it would make a nice outdoor playhouse for the kids.

“I don’t know.” He gazed upward. “It kind of looks like rain.”

“Just step inside and tell me what you think.”

Brad reluctantly walked into the center of the structure. Soshi quickly took a small remote out of her pocket and pressed the red button. Instantly, Brad was beamed into a different reality.

“Laugh your way out of that one, Brad.”

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Book Review of “The Pride of Chanur” (1982)

chanur

Cover art for C.J. Cherryh’s “The Pride of Chanur.”

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I finished C.J. Cherryh’s The Pride of Chanur a few days ago but am just now getting the time to write the review.

I remembered reading this back in the 1980s but didn’t recall the details (forty years is a long time). When I saw it on Bookbub, I was curious. There wasn’t a copy in my public library system so I bit the bullet and bought a digital copy from Amazon.

The story is set in a universe involving a species called the Hani. They’re cat-like, their space traveling freighters are captained and crewed by females, as the males aren’t suited to space travel, and their particular region of space is dominated by them and other races who trade with each other via a system of space stations in an alliance called “The Compact.”

The chief “baddy” in this tale are the Kif which are tall, thin, and hairless. They are also predatory, cunning, and devious.

While the ship “Pride of Chanur” is at Meetpoint station, a strange alien is seen to be skulking on the docks. It finally manages to slip by the Captain, Pyanfur Chanur, into her ship, but is wounded in the attempt.

Communication is a chore since the creature doesn’t speak a civilized language. It’s eventually discovered that this is an intelligent creature which had been a captive on a Kif ship and was trying to escape.

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A Brief Errand in Time

cotton

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

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Miles Jackson strolled past the bistro to The Cotton Exchange. His contact said he had to depart from someplace that existed both now and at the target date. He wouldn’t have much time once he arrived, which was ironic. But in 2024, he couldn’t walk down the streets of Wilmington dressed like a Civil War era slave.

The vaccine was secure in his pocket. Miles knew that ten-year-old Caleb would be in a house just two doors down on the morning of August 16, 1862. He had to inoculate him for the Yellow Fever so his ancestor would grow up.

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Book Review of Orson Scott Card’s “Wakers” (2022)

wakers

© James Pyles

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I finished Orson Scott Card’s novel Wakers last night. Naturally it’s the first book in a trilogy because all books have to be trilogies if not expanded series these days.

Like most people, I was introduced to Card’s writing long ago through Ender’s Game and the subsequent novels in that series. I’m glad to see that Card is still writing and still successful.

In the past twenty years or so, the current gatekeepers of science fiction determined never again to heap any sort of award upon him. This was because he had committed the grievous crime of being religious and making public statements about how his beliefs are guided by such. Between 1978 and 1995, he did win numerous accolades, but the only award post 2000 he’s been granted is the ALA Best Books for Young Adults for “Shadow of the Hegemon.”

Yes, I read “Wakers,” in part, to thumb my nose (like they even know I’m alive) at the exclusionists who run “official” science fiction and fantasy. You know, the folks who claim they want to be “inclusive” and then just shuffle around the players so certain groups are favored at the expense of others, what they say has always been done and they’re still doing it. The only difference is which groups are included and which groups are not. That’s not inclusive, that’s a shell game.

I’m a sucker for an “underdog” (Card’s doing pretty well, but still…) so I checked “Wakers” out of my local public library.

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UPDATE: How to Read (like and comment on) the Serial “Our Legacy, The Stars: A Tom Corbett Adventure”

Tom and Joan

Promotional image for the television show “Tom Corbett, Space Cadet” with Frankie Thomas as Tom Corbett and Patricia Ferris as Dr. Joan Dale.

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I know I just announced my space opera serial Our Legacy, The Stars: A Tom Corbett Adventure last week, but I wanted to give everyone an update.

To test the Kindle Vella platform for the story, I clicked the Follow button. So now I’m “following.” It didn’t ask me to sign up or for any money. I didn’t get any email announcements or anything. However, when I clicked the URL to the serial today (as I write this), I saw that episode 2: Flight to Freedom had been published yesterday (Saturday, April 13th).

I clicked on it expecting to get a “pay me” notice, but instead, I got the second chapter. The first chapter’s still there as well. I clicked on the second chapter and it was immediately available to read.

So far, I’m doing all this on my home computer rather than a tablet or phone but please stand by.

There are two IMPORTANT things to know if you read these stories:

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Read My Serial “Our Legacy, The Stars – A Tom Corbett Adventure” Now!

tom corbett

Promotional image by “Starry Eyed Press.”

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I am totally thrilled to announce that my 16-part serial “Our Destiny, The Stars” featuring Tom Corbett, Space Cadet is now available through Kindle Vella.

If you’re old enough, you may remember the Tom Corbett television show which ran from 1950-1955, pretty much pre-dating even me. When the fine folks at Starry Eyed Press asked me if I’d write a brand new Corbett adventure, one modernized with our current understanding of space travel and knowledge of our solar system, I was over-the-moon excited.

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