Rebels of Mars

Even more Astounding!

Space Artist, Kelly Freas, did the wonderful Christmas covers for Astounding!

Astounding Christmas' Past

BOLD SCI-FI

I just stumbled across a nine-month-old online posting by fannish legend Richard E. Geis (original publisher of the original Science Fiction Review) that simply must be shared. Writes Dick:

"Today I suggested to a publisher of science fiction and fantasy magazines that he start a new title, BOLD SCI-FI, which would unabashedly feature bawdy, action-filled sf-fantasy and horror stories. ...

"I'm more or less advocating a 'return' to 1930's pulp fiction, only with more action realism and a bit of provocative sex. Grab the readers with a hook opening and keep the line taut till the end.

"But nowadays sf and fantasy text fiction, after decades and decades of struggling for respectability and 'literary' quality, would rather die the slow death of declinong sales than admit they are in direct competition with a six-pack of beer or a pizza in the minds of casual readers. Dedicated readers of short story science fiction and fantasy are a dying breed. Let's get at least some science fiction back in the gutter where it belongs."

I'm in. Who'll join me?

Posted by Wally Conger, whose favorite pin-up girl is still Dejah Thoris.

The Weapon Shops

The first novel I read that introduced me to the importance of the Second Amendment was A.E. van Vogt's The Weapons Shops of Isher. which I first encountered in Anthony Boucher's two-volume, A Treasury of Great Science Fiction. It's set several thousand years in the future, in an era in which the Empire still abuses and murders people. As always, it has its defenders. What? Our government abuse our rights? I don't believe it. On the side of the citizens we have the Weapon Shops, whose motto is "The Right to Own Weapons is the Right to be Free." And they do a pretty good job, too: their weapons are technologically more advanced than the Empire's. Cool, huh? Nifty novel, and one that for my 12-year-old self was an eye-opener.

Posted by Bob Wallace, who's still working on getting his blaster to fire.

Andre Norton, R.I.P

Farewell to one of the last first Rebels of Mars. 

Here is a cool cover reworking her originally titled,  Star Man's Son  ::