William Hope Hodgson: The Bottleneck
Horror writers use many techniques to heighten the terror in their work. One of my favorites is the bottleneck. As with traffic jams, the bottleneck Read More
Tag: John W. Campbell
Going to the Dogs – Two Beginnings
This post begins: It’s not often you get to see how a writer begins his or her career. The exception is in wonderful books like Read More
Robot Pulp History in 24 Covers
The first Pulp magazine to offer robot stories was not a purely Science Fiction mag but Weird Tales, which featured the first robotic brain, giant Read More
More Than Just Silver Underwear: The History of Space Opera
The term “Space Opera”, used to define a certain branch of Science Fiction, was coined by Wilson Tucker in 1941. It was not meant Read More
Adventures in Pusad or How L. Sprague de Camp Tried To Steer Sword & Sorcery
In the October 1939 issue of Unknown, editor John W. Campbell published a story called “The Elder Gods” by Don A. Stuart. Though not an Read More
Guns Drawn: Space Westerns!
In recent years, Joss Whedon’s Firefly and Serenity have brought the Space Western back to the public eye. Though not a commercial success, Whedon’s tales Read More