[April 10, 1962] All the Difference (May 1962 IF Science Fiction)

by Gideon Marcus The measure of a story's quality, good or bad, is how well it sticks in your memory.  The sublime and the stinkers are told and retold, the mediocre just fades away.  If you ever wonder how I rate the science fiction I read, memorability is a big component.  This month's IF has … Continue reading [April 10, 1962] All the Difference (May 1962 IF Science Fiction)

[Feb. 10, 1962] Here is the News (March 1962 IF)

by Gideon Marcus If "no news is good news," then this has been a very good week, indeed!  The Studebaker UAW strike ended on the 7th.  The Congo is no more restive than usual.  Laos seems to be holding a tenuous peace in its three-cornered civil war.  The coup is over in the Dominican Republic, … Continue reading [Feb. 10, 1962] Here is the News (March 1962 IF)

[Dec. 5, 1961] IF I didn't care… (January 1962 IF Science Fiction)

by Gideon Marcus There is an interesting rhythm to my science fiction reading schedule.  Every other month, I get to look forward to a bumper crop of magazines: Fantasy and Science Fiction, Analog, and the King-Sized Galaxy.  Every other month, I get F&SF, Analog, and IF (owned by the same fellow who owns Galaxy).  IF … Continue reading [Dec. 5, 1961] IF I didn't care… (January 1962 IF Science Fiction)

[Oct. 26, 1961] Fading Fancy (November 1961 Fantasy and Science Fiction)

by Gideon Marcus Have you ever ordered your favorite dessert only to find it just doesn't satisfy like it used to?  I'm a big fan of crème brûlée, and I used to get it every chance I could.  That crispy carmelized top and that warm custard bottom, paired with a steaming cup of coffee…mmm.  These … Continue reading [Oct. 26, 1961] Fading Fancy (November 1961 Fantasy and Science Fiction)

[Oct. 5, 1961] Half Full (November 1961 IF Science Fiction)

by Gideon Marcus A long time ago, back in the hoary old days of the 1950s, there was a science fiction magazine called Satellite.  It was unusual in that contained full short novels, and maybe a vignette or two.  Satellite was a fine magazine, and I was sorry to see it die at the end … Continue reading [Oct. 5, 1961] Half Full (November 1961 IF Science Fiction)

[August 5, 1961] In the good old Summertime! (September 1961 IF science fiction)

Gideon Marcus by Ron Church Summer is here!  It's that lazy, hot stretch of time when the wisest thing to do is lie in the shade with a glass of lemonade and a good book.  Perhaps if Khruschev did the same thing, he wouldn't be making things so miserable for the folks of West Berlin.  … Continue reading [August 5, 1961] In the good old Summertime! (September 1961 IF science fiction)

[August 22, 1969] Peake District: New Worlds September 1969

by Fiona Moore Hello! I’m taking over the New Worlds reviews from Mark Yon, which is a little intimidating, but I hope I’ll be able to live up to his excellent legacy. On the UK Star Trek broadcast front, I missed “Mudd’s Women” due to having to take a work trip to Glasgow, but “A … Continue reading [August 22, 1969] Peake District: New Worlds September 1969

[December 16, 1968] Adventure and eulogies (December Galactoscope)

by Mx. Kris Vyas-Myall Arthur Sellings Double Feature I was sad to read in last month’s Science Fiction Times of the death of Arthur Sellings at only 47. His is a name not well known enough outside of the UK. His story follows the standard pattern of many of the current crop of great SF … Continue reading [December 16, 1968] Adventure and eulogies (December Galactoscope)

[January 30, 1962] Heads or Tails? (Ace Double F-127)

by Gideon Marcus What if the South had won at Antietam?  Or the Mongols had not been so savaged by the Hungarians at Mohi?  If Hitler had grown up an artist?  Time travel has been a staple of science fiction since the genre was formalized.  One of the newer flavors of the time travel oeuvre … Continue reading [January 30, 1962] Heads or Tails? (Ace Double F-127)