Joseph Baneth Allen's Blog, page 46
December 25, 2023
World Of Giants
Just finished watching "World Of Giants - The Complete Series" released by ClassicFlix.
"World Of Giants" is an interesting concept for a "Spy" television show that CBS green-lighted back in 1959 after the success of "The Incredible Shrinking Man" and borrows some elements from the blockbuster science film.
"World Of Giants" is a precursor to Irwin Allen's "Land Of The Giants," and Lindsay Guttridge's "Cold War In A Country Garden" spy trilogy.
Federal agent Mel Hunter was on a mission behind the iron curtain when an explosion exposed him to an experimental rocket fuel that causes him to shrink in size to a height of only six inches.
It's implied that Hunter is an agent with the FBI who want to give him a sense of purpose after his recovery.
I don't think that CBS and ZIV TV had a complete series bible when they started production on "World Of Giants," which they gave the tag line of "WOG" and they actually say "WOG" in the intro title. And I also think they were torn on whether they were aiming towards an adult or children audience or perhaps both. Hunter does break the Fourth Wall at the end of each episode by directly looking at and addressing the viewer.
ZIV TV produced only 13 episodes of "World Of Giants" before CBS pulled the plug on the series after spending four million dollars and being unable to find a sponsor for the series. "World Of Giants" did air as syndicated series two years after it ceased production in 1961. ZIV TV did pioneer many of the sets and filming techniques that "Land Of The Giants" and other movies and television shows would use for miniature people living in a regular sized world. Actor Marshall Thompson, who portrayed Agent Mel Hunter, interacted with over-sized props and did a lot of the physical stunts - much like the actors in "Land Of The Giants" who did years later.
Hunter lived with his partner Bill Winters, and in the fifth episode of the series, titled "Gambling Story," Miss Brown, a nurse and Girl Friday for Hunter, was introduced to the series and Hunter was given his own house that could be brought into Winters' apartment, where it was hidden behind a painting in the full-sized agent's apartment. Miss Brown and Winters would also become a romantic couple towards the end of the series.
A rather curious note about "World Of Giants" is that it was approved by the Good Television Committee and the seal was proudly displayed as the credits rolled after each episode.
"World Of Giants' is best known for having top-notch, for the time, science fiction directors Nathan Juran, Jack Arnold, and Byron Haskin directing several episodes
Each episode of "World Of Giants" is only 30 minutes in length.
"World Of Giants" is a curious spy adventure science fiction show that while it wasn't ground breaking, did provide solid entertainment.
Strongly Recommended.
Four Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/World-Giants-C...
"World Of Giants" is an interesting concept for a "Spy" television show that CBS green-lighted back in 1959 after the success of "The Incredible Shrinking Man" and borrows some elements from the blockbuster science film.
"World Of Giants" is a precursor to Irwin Allen's "Land Of The Giants," and Lindsay Guttridge's "Cold War In A Country Garden" spy trilogy.
Federal agent Mel Hunter was on a mission behind the iron curtain when an explosion exposed him to an experimental rocket fuel that causes him to shrink in size to a height of only six inches.
It's implied that Hunter is an agent with the FBI who want to give him a sense of purpose after his recovery.
I don't think that CBS and ZIV TV had a complete series bible when they started production on "World Of Giants," which they gave the tag line of "WOG" and they actually say "WOG" in the intro title. And I also think they were torn on whether they were aiming towards an adult or children audience or perhaps both. Hunter does break the Fourth Wall at the end of each episode by directly looking at and addressing the viewer.
ZIV TV produced only 13 episodes of "World Of Giants" before CBS pulled the plug on the series after spending four million dollars and being unable to find a sponsor for the series. "World Of Giants" did air as syndicated series two years after it ceased production in 1961. ZIV TV did pioneer many of the sets and filming techniques that "Land Of The Giants" and other movies and television shows would use for miniature people living in a regular sized world. Actor Marshall Thompson, who portrayed Agent Mel Hunter, interacted with over-sized props and did a lot of the physical stunts - much like the actors in "Land Of The Giants" who did years later.
Hunter lived with his partner Bill Winters, and in the fifth episode of the series, titled "Gambling Story," Miss Brown, a nurse and Girl Friday for Hunter, was introduced to the series and Hunter was given his own house that could be brought into Winters' apartment, where it was hidden behind a painting in the full-sized agent's apartment. Miss Brown and Winters would also become a romantic couple towards the end of the series.
A rather curious note about "World Of Giants" is that it was approved by the Good Television Committee and the seal was proudly displayed as the credits rolled after each episode.
"World Of Giants' is best known for having top-notch, for the time, science fiction directors Nathan Juran, Jack Arnold, and Byron Haskin directing several episodes
Each episode of "World Of Giants" is only 30 minutes in length.
"World Of Giants" is a curious spy adventure science fiction show that while it wasn't ground breaking, did provide solid entertainment.
Strongly Recommended.
Four Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/World-Giants-C...
December 20, 2023
The Lost Tomb
Just finished reading "The Lost Tomb And Other Real-Life Stories of Bones, Burials, And Murder" by Douglas Preston, published by Grand Central.
I believe it was the late Isaac Asimov who masterfully gathered together his previously published non-fiction articles and packaged them together in a non-fiction book on a particular subject. - "Asimov on Astronomy" and "Asimov on Science Fiction" comes to mind.
Preston's "The Lost Tomb," is another example of a non-fiction book in the grand Asimov tradition of recycling previously published articles into a non-fiction book.
"The Lost Tomb" is a collection of previously published essays, some of which were written in the late 1980s and early 1990s. All contain a few notes of "updates" at the end of each essay. Archaeology is a central topic in many, and some of the essays served as the inspiration for Preston's fictional books and some personal insight into what interests him. Perhaps the most poignant tale in this book is the first previously published article "A Buried Treasure," which gives insight into the writing process and how a cherished childhood friendship can become a tragedy in the work of growing up and moving on in the world.
It did remind me a bit how my friendship with my best friend came to an end after 40-years when he committed several shocking acts of betrayal.
If you have previously read these articles, the book is a bit overpriced for the admission into a writer's process.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Tomb-Real...
I believe it was the late Isaac Asimov who masterfully gathered together his previously published non-fiction articles and packaged them together in a non-fiction book on a particular subject. - "Asimov on Astronomy" and "Asimov on Science Fiction" comes to mind.
Preston's "The Lost Tomb," is another example of a non-fiction book in the grand Asimov tradition of recycling previously published articles into a non-fiction book.
"The Lost Tomb" is a collection of previously published essays, some of which were written in the late 1980s and early 1990s. All contain a few notes of "updates" at the end of each essay. Archaeology is a central topic in many, and some of the essays served as the inspiration for Preston's fictional books and some personal insight into what interests him. Perhaps the most poignant tale in this book is the first previously published article "A Buried Treasure," which gives insight into the writing process and how a cherished childhood friendship can become a tragedy in the work of growing up and moving on in the world.
It did remind me a bit how my friendship with my best friend came to an end after 40-years when he committed several shocking acts of betrayal.
If you have previously read these articles, the book is a bit overpriced for the admission into a writer's process.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Tomb-Real...
The John Wyndham Collection
Just finished listening to "The John Wyndham Collection" released by BBC Radio.
I purchased "The John Wyndham Collection from Amazon UK back in September 2012, and it's been sitting on-top of my sister's unused accountant's desk in her old bedroom since then. My antilibrary, my tsundoku is almost as extensive as my collection of till yet-to-be read books and yet-to-be watched DVDs.
Now this was one of the audio-drama collections that I originally got for long road trips with Mom and Dad, but unfortunately, I never had the chance to listen to it with Mom and Dad.
I finally got around to listening to it this past week during the days I work from home for my day job.
Having only read one of John Wyndham's novels, "The Chrysalids" back in the 1970s when I saw the latest release of the book on the new arrivals section of the Science Fiction section at Michele's Bookstore back in the Brynn Marr Shopping Center in Jacksonville, North Carolina, I can not determine if all these audo dramatizations are true to Wyndham's original novels with the exception of "The Chrysalids.".
Wyndam was the pen name he wrote under, his real name being John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris. He is perhaps best known for "The Day of The Triffids."
This collection contains audio dramatizations of: "The Day Of The Triffids," "The Kraken Wakes," "The Chrysalids & Survival," The Midwhich Cuckoos," and "Chocky." I believe these are all faithful adaptations by the BBC of Wyndham's novels since "The Chrysalids" was a faithful adaptation.
Wyndham examined the human struggle for survival when catastrophic natural phenomena suddenly invade a comfortable English setting in his various science fiction novels.
Perhaps the biggest shock in these adaptations was that the Triffids are not a story of alien invasion, though it's implied by the sudden overnight blindness that inflicts a majority of humanity. The Triffids are of Earth, not space, and were initially seen as an alternative source of vegetable oil. It's implied that the Soviet Union created the Triffids.
"The Midwhich Cuckoos" is also a well known work of Wyndham's, known for the movie version - "Village of the Damned." Again, without having read the book, I can't say for a hundred percent certainty that it is a faithful audio adaptation, but it appears to be.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/John-Wyndham-C...
I purchased "The John Wyndham Collection from Amazon UK back in September 2012, and it's been sitting on-top of my sister's unused accountant's desk in her old bedroom since then. My antilibrary, my tsundoku is almost as extensive as my collection of till yet-to-be read books and yet-to-be watched DVDs.
Now this was one of the audio-drama collections that I originally got for long road trips with Mom and Dad, but unfortunately, I never had the chance to listen to it with Mom and Dad.
I finally got around to listening to it this past week during the days I work from home for my day job.
Having only read one of John Wyndham's novels, "The Chrysalids" back in the 1970s when I saw the latest release of the book on the new arrivals section of the Science Fiction section at Michele's Bookstore back in the Brynn Marr Shopping Center in Jacksonville, North Carolina, I can not determine if all these audo dramatizations are true to Wyndham's original novels with the exception of "The Chrysalids.".
Wyndam was the pen name he wrote under, his real name being John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris. He is perhaps best known for "The Day of The Triffids."
This collection contains audio dramatizations of: "The Day Of The Triffids," "The Kraken Wakes," "The Chrysalids & Survival," The Midwhich Cuckoos," and "Chocky." I believe these are all faithful adaptations by the BBC of Wyndham's novels since "The Chrysalids" was a faithful adaptation.
Wyndham examined the human struggle for survival when catastrophic natural phenomena suddenly invade a comfortable English setting in his various science fiction novels.
Perhaps the biggest shock in these adaptations was that the Triffids are not a story of alien invasion, though it's implied by the sudden overnight blindness that inflicts a majority of humanity. The Triffids are of Earth, not space, and were initially seen as an alternative source of vegetable oil. It's implied that the Soviet Union created the Triffids.
"The Midwhich Cuckoos" is also a well known work of Wyndham's, known for the movie version - "Village of the Damned." Again, without having read the book, I can't say for a hundred percent certainty that it is a faithful audio adaptation, but it appears to be.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/John-Wyndham-C...
December 15, 2023
Masters Of The Universe Annual 1984
Just finished reading"Masters Of The Universe Annual 1984" published by World International Publishing.
Okay, I confess, I cheated in order to obtain the year World published this annual. I used an online Roman Numeral Converter. Like most elementary school kids of my generation, I learned about Roman Numerals and I struggled to remember who to translate them into "normal" numbers in tests and pop quizzes. Let's face it, unless your like my Number One Minion, Zack, who actually studied and can read and speak Latin, there really is no practical use for Roman Numerals unless you want to befuddle people regarding copyright and legal documentation.
Now while this annual is mainly a collection of prose stories, I think this was based on material by Mattel to World before He-Man, Teela, and the other characters of the Masters Universe were fully fleshed out. None of the stories are set within the established cannon of the original cartoon series, on which this annual is based on. For example, it's hinted in this annual that Battlecat kills Evil-Lyn in a rather gruesome manner and Adam's parents are shown as rather elderly. There is also a rather odd depiction of Prince Adam and Man-E-Faces that is shall we say - provocative. Orco is called Gorpo.
In addition to including an extensive background on Eternia and the people who live there called appropriately "Welcome to Eternia," which I suspect was written by someone at Mattel, this annual contains the following prose stories: "The Sinking of Marais," "The Tale of Man-E-Faces," "The Crystal Cage," The Ruby Phoenix," and "The Siege of Avion." There is a comic section titled "The Necklace of Evil."
It will be interesting to see if the path taken by Mattel and World for later "Masters Of The Universe" annuals is similar to this one. I think this was put together before "Masters Of The Universe" hit the airwaves.
Recommended as an interesting look at divergent paths.
Four Stars.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/302507667666
Okay, I confess, I cheated in order to obtain the year World published this annual. I used an online Roman Numeral Converter. Like most elementary school kids of my generation, I learned about Roman Numerals and I struggled to remember who to translate them into "normal" numbers in tests and pop quizzes. Let's face it, unless your like my Number One Minion, Zack, who actually studied and can read and speak Latin, there really is no practical use for Roman Numerals unless you want to befuddle people regarding copyright and legal documentation.
Now while this annual is mainly a collection of prose stories, I think this was based on material by Mattel to World before He-Man, Teela, and the other characters of the Masters Universe were fully fleshed out. None of the stories are set within the established cannon of the original cartoon series, on which this annual is based on. For example, it's hinted in this annual that Battlecat kills Evil-Lyn in a rather gruesome manner and Adam's parents are shown as rather elderly. There is also a rather odd depiction of Prince Adam and Man-E-Faces that is shall we say - provocative. Orco is called Gorpo.
In addition to including an extensive background on Eternia and the people who live there called appropriately "Welcome to Eternia," which I suspect was written by someone at Mattel, this annual contains the following prose stories: "The Sinking of Marais," "The Tale of Man-E-Faces," "The Crystal Cage," The Ruby Phoenix," and "The Siege of Avion." There is a comic section titled "The Necklace of Evil."
It will be interesting to see if the path taken by Mattel and World for later "Masters Of The Universe" annuals is similar to this one. I think this was put together before "Masters Of The Universe" hit the airwaves.
Recommended as an interesting look at divergent paths.
Four Stars.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/302507667666
Dan Dare Annual 1991
Just finished reading "Dan Dare Annual 1991" published by Fleetway Publications.
My cousin Hannah introduced me to British Annuals back in the 1980s when she sent me a "Doctor Who Annual" that she picked up at a bookstore somewhere at Rego Park, New York where she lived. She was a piano teacher who was also an avid fan of science fiction and fantasy.
It would a grave injustice to simply call Dan Dare Britian's answer to the popular American Golden Age Pulp Space Heroes of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. Dan Dare is a modern 1950s approach to a Space Age originally set in that distant future of the 1990s - similar to the original Lost In Space series first season and to a lesser known comic strip Connie by Frank Goodwin.
I don't know if the Dan Dare adventures highlighted in this annual are original stories. There are original articles about the history of the Dan Dare Eagle Comic Strip sprinkled throughout this annual. British Annuals are a usual mix of comic strip adventures, prose fiction stories and non-fiction articles depending on the publisher. And sometimes the stories in the article adhere to a series established canon, and sometimes they don't.
Up to his usual antics, The Mekon sets up two different traps in an attempt to kill Dan Dare and there is a black and white outing with Digby who stops an alien invasion with his trusty cricket bat.
Highly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Dan-Dare-Annua...
My cousin Hannah introduced me to British Annuals back in the 1980s when she sent me a "Doctor Who Annual" that she picked up at a bookstore somewhere at Rego Park, New York where she lived. She was a piano teacher who was also an avid fan of science fiction and fantasy.
It would a grave injustice to simply call Dan Dare Britian's answer to the popular American Golden Age Pulp Space Heroes of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. Dan Dare is a modern 1950s approach to a Space Age originally set in that distant future of the 1990s - similar to the original Lost In Space series first season and to a lesser known comic strip Connie by Frank Goodwin.
I don't know if the Dan Dare adventures highlighted in this annual are original stories. There are original articles about the history of the Dan Dare Eagle Comic Strip sprinkled throughout this annual. British Annuals are a usual mix of comic strip adventures, prose fiction stories and non-fiction articles depending on the publisher. And sometimes the stories in the article adhere to a series established canon, and sometimes they don't.
Up to his usual antics, The Mekon sets up two different traps in an attempt to kill Dan Dare and there is a black and white outing with Digby who stops an alien invasion with his trusty cricket bat.
Highly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Dan-Dare-Annua...
Treacle Walker
Just finished reading "Treacle Walker" by Alan Garner, released by Scribner here stateside.
Alan Garner is a traditional old school fantasy writer in the Grand Old School Style of Traditional British Fantasy Tradition. He is perhaps best known for his novels "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen," "The Owl Service," "Elidor," and "The Moon of Gomrath" which I read as soon as they were re-released in ACE paperback editions in the 1970s and appeared in the new arrivals section in the Science Fiction and Fantasy section at Michele's Bookstore in the Bryn Mar Shopping Center in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
So when I learned of Garner's latest novel, which was shortlisted for The Booker Prize back in 2022, I eagerly ordered a copy online at Amazon.com.
Like with stories in the Old School Style of Traditional British Fantasy, it helps to have a firm solid grounding with British culture, keeping in mind that "Treacle Walker" is not written with modern 21st Century sensibilities in mind.
For example, Joseph Coppock plays marbles and refers to biggest and best glass marble as a "dabbler."
There are also references specific to British culture throughout the ages.
Joseph Coppock is a young boy who seems suspended between worlds and times as he struggles with a lazy eye, who strikes up a friendship with a rag and bones man, with who he makes a trade with which sets a chain of circumstances that unfolds to a shattering conclusion.
Strongly Recommend.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/166...
Alan Garner is a traditional old school fantasy writer in the Grand Old School Style of Traditional British Fantasy Tradition. He is perhaps best known for his novels "The Weirdstone of Brisingamen," "The Owl Service," "Elidor," and "The Moon of Gomrath" which I read as soon as they were re-released in ACE paperback editions in the 1970s and appeared in the new arrivals section in the Science Fiction and Fantasy section at Michele's Bookstore in the Bryn Mar Shopping Center in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
So when I learned of Garner's latest novel, which was shortlisted for The Booker Prize back in 2022, I eagerly ordered a copy online at Amazon.com.
Like with stories in the Old School Style of Traditional British Fantasy, it helps to have a firm solid grounding with British culture, keeping in mind that "Treacle Walker" is not written with modern 21st Century sensibilities in mind.
For example, Joseph Coppock plays marbles and refers to biggest and best glass marble as a "dabbler."
There are also references specific to British culture throughout the ages.
Joseph Coppock is a young boy who seems suspended between worlds and times as he struggles with a lazy eye, who strikes up a friendship with a rag and bones man, with who he makes a trade with which sets a chain of circumstances that unfolds to a shattering conclusion.
Strongly Recommend.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/166...
Alien Worlds - How Insects Conquered the Earth & Why Their Fate Will Determine Our Future
Just finished reading "Alien Worlds - How Insects Conquered the Earth & Why Their Fate Will Determine Our Future" by Steve Nicholls, published by Princeton University Press.
I suspect that "Aliens Worlds" is what's known in the vernacular as a companion book - a book published as the written word documentary of a popular television documentary that heavily relies on photos. Nichols, in addition to being a professor and Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, is also an Emmy Award winning director and producer. Though, I can not find any evidence of such a documentary.
"Aliens Worlds" can be thought of as a heavily illustrated lecture on the multi-faceted the near infinite diversity of insects .
Nicholls presents his readers with various insects and other arthropods explaining how they conquered the planet and why there are so many of them, and shedding light on the evolutionary marvels that enabled them to thrive. He discusses their origins and wondrous diversity as well as their extraordinary sensory world. He also explains the remarkable success of social insects, from termites and ants to bees and wasps, and reveals why their fate holds implications for our own.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Worlds-I...
I suspect that "Aliens Worlds" is what's known in the vernacular as a companion book - a book published as the written word documentary of a popular television documentary that heavily relies on photos. Nichols, in addition to being a professor and Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society, is also an Emmy Award winning director and producer. Though, I can not find any evidence of such a documentary.
"Aliens Worlds" can be thought of as a heavily illustrated lecture on the multi-faceted the near infinite diversity of insects .
Nicholls presents his readers with various insects and other arthropods explaining how they conquered the planet and why there are so many of them, and shedding light on the evolutionary marvels that enabled them to thrive. He discusses their origins and wondrous diversity as well as their extraordinary sensory world. He also explains the remarkable success of social insects, from termites and ants to bees and wasps, and reveals why their fate holds implications for our own.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Worlds-I...
December 14, 2023
Winterlude
Just finished listening to "Winterlude" by David Arkenstone, released by QDV Music.
Selma Franz, my adorable baby sister, made a rather interesting observation when I mention that I had received "Winderlude" in a previous order for Amazon. She knew Steve Orchard and Medwyn Goodall by name, but she had never once recalled me mentioning David Arkenstone.
Now in the interest of full disclosure, I am a friend of David Arkenstne here on Facebook, but I have never interacted with him and that includes no email exchanges.
I first became aware of David Arkenstone when a saw a full color advertisement for his "In The Wake Of The Wind" CD when it was first released back in 1992 shortly before I bought my first CD player. So yes, "In The Wake Of The Wind" was the first CD I ever owned. ["Brigadoon" was the first DVD I bought when I was out in San Diego with Mom visiting Selma and Chris Franz, my brother-in-law back in the late 1990s.] I don't remember the magazine where I saw the add, it was a full length science-fiction fantasy magazine, and not a digest-sized on. I do remember that.
I bought "In The Wake Of The Wind" at the now defunct Camelot Music store across the street from the Barnes & Noble near where I live and enjoyed it - pretty much getting every release of Arkenstone's that I could. Once Camelot Music shuttered it's stores nationwide, I depended on the music section in Barnes and Noble until ultimately switching to Amazon and/or ordering directly online.
Selma actually was able to hear a section of "Winterlude" and said that it was a bit too melancholy for her. Which is understandable since "Winterlude" is a reflective album of the moodiness of the winter season.
My favorite tracks on this CD are: "The White Cathedrals," "Whispers of the Winter Wind," "The World Sleeps," "The Icy Brook Finds Its Way," and "Warm Lights Flicker Across The Lake."
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Winterlude-Dav...
Selma Franz, my adorable baby sister, made a rather interesting observation when I mention that I had received "Winderlude" in a previous order for Amazon. She knew Steve Orchard and Medwyn Goodall by name, but she had never once recalled me mentioning David Arkenstone.
Now in the interest of full disclosure, I am a friend of David Arkenstne here on Facebook, but I have never interacted with him and that includes no email exchanges.
I first became aware of David Arkenstone when a saw a full color advertisement for his "In The Wake Of The Wind" CD when it was first released back in 1992 shortly before I bought my first CD player. So yes, "In The Wake Of The Wind" was the first CD I ever owned. ["Brigadoon" was the first DVD I bought when I was out in San Diego with Mom visiting Selma and Chris Franz, my brother-in-law back in the late 1990s.] I don't remember the magazine where I saw the add, it was a full length science-fiction fantasy magazine, and not a digest-sized on. I do remember that.
I bought "In The Wake Of The Wind" at the now defunct Camelot Music store across the street from the Barnes & Noble near where I live and enjoyed it - pretty much getting every release of Arkenstone's that I could. Once Camelot Music shuttered it's stores nationwide, I depended on the music section in Barnes and Noble until ultimately switching to Amazon and/or ordering directly online.
Selma actually was able to hear a section of "Winterlude" and said that it was a bit too melancholy for her. Which is understandable since "Winterlude" is a reflective album of the moodiness of the winter season.
My favorite tracks on this CD are: "The White Cathedrals," "Whispers of the Winter Wind," "The World Sleeps," "The Icy Brook Finds Its Way," and "Warm Lights Flicker Across The Lake."
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
TEN STARS!
https://www.amazon.com/Winterlude-Dav...
December 7, 2023
Danger Planet
Just finished reading "Danger Planet" by Brett Sterling, published by Popular Library back in 1965.
"Danger Planet" is a Captain Future novel that was originally published back in 1945, and it is attributed to Edmond Hamilton who wrote a majority of the Captain Future, but it doesn't have the typical feel of one of Hamilton's works. Joseph Samachson ( who wrote Captain Future stories under the pen name of William Morrison); and Manly Wade Wellman also wrote Captain Future novels. Though it is possible that any number of uncredited writers wrote this particular Captain Future novel which takes place about 10-years after Curt Newton, a.k.a. Captain Future, invented the vibration drive which gave humanity interstellar travel and opened up the galaxy for colonization.
Captain Future discovered a planet which, aside from Venus, can also provided the needed conditions to grow Vitron, a plant which keeps human beings young. That planet is Roo, and the natives on that planet have been stirred up, and are starting to demand that the human colonists be evicted, which in turn would mean that Vitron would become either very expensive or unavailable.
Captain Future and the Captain himself succeed in infiltrating the gang that is responsible for causing the troubles, and eventually find their way to tribe of the natives, who are red-skinned and have beaks, but otherwise are similar to humans.
Here they discover the reasons for the native unrest, which is not hatred of humanity per se, but rather someone has made them believe that the Roos' ancient gods disapprove of humanity, and will punish Roo for allowing the humans to remain on Roo.
Captain Future and his look into the history of the ancient gods, and Captain Future decides that maybe they aren't a myth, but were perhaps based on a real people, who ruled the galaxy billions of years in the past, and maybe the myths have to be taken seriously.
While a quick read, "Danger Planet" does capture the sense of fun and adventure of heroes from the Golden Age of Pulp.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Planet-...
"Danger Planet" is a Captain Future novel that was originally published back in 1945, and it is attributed to Edmond Hamilton who wrote a majority of the Captain Future, but it doesn't have the typical feel of one of Hamilton's works. Joseph Samachson ( who wrote Captain Future stories under the pen name of William Morrison); and Manly Wade Wellman also wrote Captain Future novels. Though it is possible that any number of uncredited writers wrote this particular Captain Future novel which takes place about 10-years after Curt Newton, a.k.a. Captain Future, invented the vibration drive which gave humanity interstellar travel and opened up the galaxy for colonization.
Captain Future discovered a planet which, aside from Venus, can also provided the needed conditions to grow Vitron, a plant which keeps human beings young. That planet is Roo, and the natives on that planet have been stirred up, and are starting to demand that the human colonists be evicted, which in turn would mean that Vitron would become either very expensive or unavailable.
Captain Future and the Captain himself succeed in infiltrating the gang that is responsible for causing the troubles, and eventually find their way to tribe of the natives, who are red-skinned and have beaks, but otherwise are similar to humans.
Here they discover the reasons for the native unrest, which is not hatred of humanity per se, but rather someone has made them believe that the Roos' ancient gods disapprove of humanity, and will punish Roo for allowing the humans to remain on Roo.
Captain Future and his look into the history of the ancient gods, and Captain Future decides that maybe they aren't a myth, but were perhaps based on a real people, who ruled the galaxy billions of years in the past, and maybe the myths have to be taken seriously.
While a quick read, "Danger Planet" does capture the sense of fun and adventure of heroes from the Golden Age of Pulp.
Strongly Recommended.
Five Stars.
https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Planet-...
The Science of Spin
Just finished reading "The Science Of Spin - How Rotational Forces Affect Everything from Your Body to Jet Engines to the Weather" by Roland Ennos, released by Scribner.
Without spin the universe and life would not exist as we know it. In "The Science Of Spin," Ennos explores the effects of spin in three areas – the planet, technology, and the human body – with a writing style that forgoes equations in favor of approachable diagrams and explanations.
The planet section covers solar system formation, planetary orbits, weather patterns, tides, and magnetic fields. At first, I wondered what spin has to do with magnetic fields, but it turns out that their interaction keeps us from dying from solar radiation. The Earth’s spin creates deep molten currents of magnetic material, producing an enveloping field that shields us from the sun’s bombardment and also creates beautiful auroras.
The technology section tracks how spinning equipment evolved and expanded into society over time, from drop spindles to airplanes. A big focus is the use of rotating wheels to power machines, first by water, then steam, and finally electricity. Ennos shows how improvements in incorporating spin in machinery advanced the industrial revolution.
How humans stand, walk, run, throw, hit, and twist with rotation and spin is explored in the third section of Ennos' book. Our joints allow such flexibility of motion that we can balance and propel objects with surprising efficiency, never mind the astounding accomplishments of athletes.
Oddly, Ennos believes that an over reliance on math has prevented most scientists from fully exploring and appreciating the importance of spin and how the universe revolves and exists because of it.
Strongly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Spin-R...
Without spin the universe and life would not exist as we know it. In "The Science Of Spin," Ennos explores the effects of spin in three areas – the planet, technology, and the human body – with a writing style that forgoes equations in favor of approachable diagrams and explanations.
The planet section covers solar system formation, planetary orbits, weather patterns, tides, and magnetic fields. At first, I wondered what spin has to do with magnetic fields, but it turns out that their interaction keeps us from dying from solar radiation. The Earth’s spin creates deep molten currents of magnetic material, producing an enveloping field that shields us from the sun’s bombardment and also creates beautiful auroras.
The technology section tracks how spinning equipment evolved and expanded into society over time, from drop spindles to airplanes. A big focus is the use of rotating wheels to power machines, first by water, then steam, and finally electricity. Ennos shows how improvements in incorporating spin in machinery advanced the industrial revolution.
How humans stand, walk, run, throw, hit, and twist with rotation and spin is explored in the third section of Ennos' book. Our joints allow such flexibility of motion that we can balance and propel objects with surprising efficiency, never mind the astounding accomplishments of athletes.
Oddly, Ennos believes that an over reliance on math has prevented most scientists from fully exploring and appreciating the importance of spin and how the universe revolves and exists because of it.
Strongly Recommended!
Five Stars!
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Spin-R...
