Tuesday 24 July 2012

Rocket Boy and the Geek Girls Anthology Book Review



This anthology was edited by Phyllis Irene Bradford. It is filled with a variety of science fiction: stories of space, technology, aliens and humanity. Most of the stories are thought provoking, action filled, humourous and have something for every reader. This anthology was a nice return into the science fiction genre. The majority of the stories within have been previously published in magazines and anthologies such as The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Speculative Inflights Magazine, Women at War, Analog Science Fiction & Fact, The Future We Wish We Had, Dinosaur Fantastic, American Journal of Australian Literature,  and Helix Magazine. Each of the stories is accompanied by a brief description about the author and their writing.

The genres covered are space opera, sci fi, fantasy, and futuristic.

18 stories

Of the eighteen stories I managed to read tje first two sections finding most of them quite interesting. Unfortunately I found the PDF format produced eye strain after reading one or two stories which resulted in a slower reading schedule.

Space stories

      Emancipation by Pati Nagle, 1996, The Williamson Effect

An old ritual on an asteroid that separates day from night is changed so that day is to be forever. Manuel, keeper of the Night, finds a way to restore the darkness through a compromise.

Rocket Boy on Call by Pati Nagle

Rocket Boy is a futuristic skip tracer who has romantic ideas about his case assigner.

Blindsided by Venus in the House of Mars by Nancy Jane Moore

Lia Bukanan arrives at the Galatea Station, with biodome regulated climate, after working as temp crew on a ship needing a vacation. After a bar fight, Lia hooks up with a “captain” with his own starship. Who turns out to be a bounty hunter.

Sitting Shiva by Judith Tarr

A peacekeeping machine that didn’t grab my interest. Perhaps it will for another reader.

Kinds of Strangers by Sarah Zettel

A starship, the Forty-Niner, returning to Earth from a successful tour of the asteroid belt is losing its crew while their expert intelligence computer is malfunctioning. Or is it? A great line was, “A little red sphere drifted out toward her face.” Ms Zettel reveals insight into space travel and its inherent perils.

Technology stories

Alien Voices by P. R. Frost

A ballet artist takes a chance with a risky surgery, and learns during therapy that the implanted nanobots replicate themselves and heal any new injuries. The nanobots develop an appreciation for ballet.

Aberlard’s Kiss by Madeleine E Robins

A woman has a bioengineering firm make her a man who she introduces to a friend.

Perfect Stranger by Amy Stirling Casel

A young boy has gene therapy to heal a defective heart.
        
 Revenants by Judith Tarr

A creepy yet intriguing story about a woman taking her child to the revenants zoo setting with dinosaurs.

Alien stories

Its Own Reward by Katherine Kerr

 Your First by C L Anderson

 Gray to Black by Brenda W Clough

Slick by Brenda Kelso

Ask Arlen by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

Humanity stories

 Steelcollar Worker by Vonda N McIntyre

A Mighty Fortress by Brenda W Clough

Who Killed Science Fiction by Jennifer Stevenson
         
 Rocket Boy and the Geek Girls by Irene Radford

The review copy was provided by Sue Lange.


Book Format: ebook PDF 406 pages 
Publisher:  Book View Press http://www.bookviewpress.com/



Saturday 14 July 2012




This photo is of the Niagara Escarpment of the Bruce Peninsula.




The weather in Toronto has been scorching and humid with little respite except for thunder and hail storms to the west. I'll be happy when the weather returns to cooler temperatures.  The above photo makes me yearn to stick bare feet into the cold water which laps against the rocky shoreline, an activity that would be certain to cool my poor overheated body.

My eyes are seeimg to get a little better with sparse use of the computer, TV and cell phone. I'm to get new lenses shortly which may alleviate the condition a little. I'm finding that drinking more fluid and using saline eye drops are producing an improvement. And I'm planning a vacation for later this summer to get away while looking for a new apartment as the one I've been in for the last couple of years has increased its pest population to an unbearable level.

This leads me to wonder if this is a underlying problem with my eyesight as I'm very drug sensative and any of the toxic chemicals used so far in battling the pests has proven to make me nauseated, wheeze or send me to the hospital emergency with exposure to boric acid (used for roaches, and yet the flysheet says it will kill rats and rabitts). Why is the boric acid used in a building with children I'll never know but am writing a letter to government officials to inquire about the validity of such substances. Any comments on the use of Boric Acid or other such chemicals is appreciated.


Photo Credit: Screen Door Slams CC=nc-nd-flickr. CLICK TO ENLARGE.