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On this page you’ll find all of my blog posts, from my sci-fi book reviews to my thoughts on philosophy, culture, life, and the craft of storytelling.
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10 + Years of Attempted Novel Writing
In which I tell the story of how I wrote The Man in the Red Paisley Suit.
Do Not Succumb to Despair
In the 2011 movie Midnight in Paris, Gertrude Stein, played by Kathy Bates, shares some wisdom we all could learn from.
It’s Time to Stop Blaming Feminism
Continuing to blame feminism for society’s ills promotes a victim mentality, breeds hate, and is hypocritical. In this post, I discuss why.
How to Radicalize Yourself In Two Easy Steps
The daily news/commentary cycle is inherently self-radicalizing. In this post I offer two reasons why.
Philosophy Series: Accounting For Your Life
In Plato’s Apology, we follow Socrates as he defends himself against accusations of corrupting the youth. We can learn an important lesson from these ancient events.
Book 44: Slaughterhouse-Five
Slaughterhouse-Five is a classic in the sci-fi and American canon that depicts the physical and emotional desolation of war.
The Radical Left Is Creating the Patriarchy It Seeks to Destroy
Those on the radical Left have created a special type of patriarchy, just for us. One that doesn’t see women, at all.
Book 43: The Left Hand of Darkness
The Left Hand of Darkness is a masterclass in world building that lives up to all the hype.
Book 42: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is a thought-provoking novel about what it means to be alive on a dying planet.
The (Attempted) Re-Education of Dr. Jordan B. Peterson
My essay on why the Ontario Superior Court of Justice Divisional Court’s decision against Jordan Peterson is troublesome and problematic.
Book 41 – 2001: A Space Odyssey
Arthur C. Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey is a fun read and a staple in the sci-fi canon.
Book 37: This Immortal
This Immortal offers an interesting take on immortality, the Earth, and humanity.
The Wonders & Beauty of the Female Body
Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing, and breastmilk an incredible substance.
Case Study: Cobra Kai – The Most Focused Show On TV
Cobra Kai is the most focused show on television right now.
Review: The Rabbi and the Condemned
The latest book by author Brian Bandell asks interesting questions about criminal justice, capital punishment, and forgiveness.
The Benefits of a Private Life
The benefits of maintaining a private life that is not shared on social media.
Why You Should Quit Social Media
Don’t just take it from me that you should quit social media. Cal Newport offers four succinct points for the benefits of doing so.
Jordan Peterson & Dave Rubin
Jordan Peterson’s interview with Dave Rubin about the “promises and pitfalls” of gay parenting is an excellent conversation that I highly recommend.
The Orville Is the Best Sci-Fi On TV Right Now
The Orville is hands down one of the best shows on TV right now, and certainly the best science fiction.
Book 35: The Wanderer
Unfortunately, 1964’s The Wanderer proved too much for me with its over exposition. Sadly, another novel that I had to put down.
Book 34: Planet of the Apes
My review of the 1963 classic, Planet of the Apes, a must-read in the sci-fi canon.
Philosophy Series: The Presocratics Part II
The second post in my philosophy series, in which I finish my review of the Presocratic philosophers.
I Hate the Word Content
The term content is so vague and empty it shortchanges both creator and viewer.
Book 33: Way Station
Book 33 on my list is an exploration of humanity and what it means to have one toe in the human world and one in the alien world.
Small Stakes vs. Large Stakes
The High Stakes Fallacy, whereby big, impersonal stakes are thought to be enough for a story, is an easy trap to fall into.
Book 32: The Man in the High Castle
The Man in the High Castle is an alternate history story that examines life if the Axis Powers had won World War II.
The Perils of Outsourcing
In which I discuss the value of labour and competence as a way to engage with the world in an authentically human way.
Book 30: Flowers for Algernon
My favourite book on my list so far! I highly recommend the emotionally compelling Flowers for Algernon.
Book 29: A Canticle for Leibowitz
Book 29 on my list is an epic novel spanning millennia that illustrates the fragility of mankind and all our knowledge.
Book 28: Starship Troopers
I was really excited for Starship Troopers, but unfortunately it was another Heinlein novel I had to put down.
A Somewhat Consistent Newsletter
I’m launching the Sci-Fi Novel Monthly Dialectic newsletter. Each month we’ll look at one interesting sci-fi idea, its points, and counterpoints, in a dialectic format.
Sci-Fi History Part II: History Repeats Itself
In this post I offer a quick review of Science Fiction: A Literary History, and dive into two interesting themes: techno-anxiety and reacting to the zeitgeist.
Book 27: A Case of Conscience
While I didn’t finish A Case of Conscience due to over exposition in its second part, I was fascinated by Father Ramon’s religious arguments in its first part.
Philosophy Series: The Presocratics
In the first post of my Philosophy Series I dive into the Presocratics and the development of their ideas.
Book 26: The Big Time
The Big Time is a book I was excited to read but then ended up putting down. Looks like writing from the ’50s is just not my style.
Stories Are About Struggle
Stories are about struggle. This concept is easy to understand yet can be hard to implement. I take a look at why.
The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet: Inglourious Basterds
My Blake Snyder Beat Sheet for the film Inglourious Basterds.
Storytelling: A Study in Opposites Part III – Cobra Kai
In my final post in the “Opposites” series, I discuss how this idea of opposites, or dichotomies, is played out masterfully in the show Cobra Kai.
Storytelling: A Study in Opposites Part II
In my second post in this “Opposites” series, I look at more examples of the opposing dynamics in the Blake Snyder Beat Sheet.
Storytelling: A Study in Opposites
Good story structure boils down to a series of opposites, or dichotomies. One of the most important of these is the opening image and final image in a story.
Books 11-20: A Ranking
My ranking of books 11-20 on my list. The best and worst might not be what you think.
Why I Quit Social Media
Recently I quit social media and haven’t looked back. In this post I talk about my reasons and aim to reclaim my focus and attention.
How to Write A Novel: The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet
The Blake Snyder Beat Sheet in the book Save the Cat! is an excellent guide to storytelling and story structure that I highly recommend to anyone interested in writing.
The Sci-Fi Novel Blog Moves To A New Home
I’ve moved The Sci-Fi Novel blog to this website, where I’ll continue my journey through the best science fiction of all time.
Book 24: The Minority Report
My review of the short story The Minority Report, a must-read sci-fi classic.
Book 22: I Am Legend
Book 22 on My List is a must-read. I Am Legend is the compelling tale of Robert Neville, the last man alive after a vampire/zombie apocalypse.
The Editorial Map
Fiction University’s Editorial Map has helped me understand where my novel needs work.
Book 21: They’d Rather Be Right
My review of They’d Rather be Right, the second Hugo Award Winner for Best Novel.
The Definition of Science Fiction: Part 2
Part 2 of my journey outlining the various definitions of science fiction.
Neil Gaiman on Reading, Writing, and Science Fiction
eil Gaiman’s beautiful words on books, stories, and speculative fiction are worth reading.
The BME Challenge
I’ve started my own challenge of writing 100-word stories every day for 30 days in order to improve my storytelling chops.
Time Constraints
Fitting creative time into your life can really difficult. I like to think there are always solutions to that problem.
Sci-Fi History: Why Did Science Fiction Emerge?
In Science Fiction: A Literary History, Roger Luckhurst discusses the rapid technological changes that helped kick off science fiction as a genre. The attendant angst continues today.
Book 19: The Demolished Man
The Demolished Man is a fast-paced crime novel with a totally unsympathetic main character. For that reason, it was an exciting read.
The Definition of Science Fiction
The first chapter of Science Fiction: A Literary History discusses the multi-faceted definition of the genre and what it means.
The No-Answer Ending
Castle Rock didn’t answer its main story question by the end of season one. And I’m not sure I like that method of storytelling.
Silence the Living: An Interview With Brian Bandell
My interview with author Brian Bandell about his new book Silence the Living, his writing process, and more!
Review: Silence the Living
I had the opportunity to review Silence the Living, Brian Bandell’s latest sci-fi novel.
Read, Read, and Then Read Some More
One of the best ways to improve your writing is to read just as much as you write.
Soonish: An Interview With Zach Weinersmith
My interview with Zach Weinersmith, co-author of Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That’ll Improve and/or Ruin Everything.
Case Study: 1408 by Stephen King AKA “The Door Was Crooked”
In which I dissect the masterful story 1408 by Stephen King to learn more about the craft of writing.
Review: Soonish
Soonish is a book dedicated to the forefront of technology and how those technologies will shape our future. It’s also really funny!
2018 Hugo Award Winners
The 2018 Hugo Awards took place this past weekend. Here, the winners of the main written categories.
Writing Descriptions: It’s Okay to Repeat Yourself
It’s okay to repeat yourself throughout your story and remind your readers who your characters are, what they look like, where they are, and why that’s important.
Asking Others to Read Your Stuff
It’s important to get other people to read your writing if you want to improve your craft. It’s a scary proposition, but definitely worth it.
Book 18: Farmer in the Sky
Robert A. Heinlein’s Farmer in the Sky is a compelling story about one boy’s struggle to make it on Ganymede.
Some Thoughts on Near vs. Far Future Science Fiction
Near and far future science fiction are two foundational subsets of the genre. Both have advantages and disadvantages, mainly for the writer.
Ursula K. Le Guin on Writing Science Fiction
Last week I dove into Ray Bradbury’s thoughts on the art of writing science fiction. This week, I take a look at the thoughts of Ursula K. Le Guin.
Exploration: Earth & Space
Science fiction is the genre of ideas, curiosity and truth. Exploring Earth and space are quests for all of those.
The Discipline & Necessity of Writing Every Day
Writers write. And writing every day is an important habit to develop that will keep your momentum, and joy, up.
Ray Bradbury on Writing Science Fiction
In The Paris Review, sci-fi author Ray Bradbury discusses the art of writing science fiction.
The Importance of Outlining
Outlining before writing not only saves time but it also frees you up to actually enjoy writing.
Book 17: The Martian Chronicles
The Martian Chronicles is a classic by Ray Bradbury that explores the colonization of Mars and the various paranormal, emotional and very human problems encountered therein.
The Sci-Fi Aspirational Tale
Aspirational, or idealistic, science fiction, such as Star Trek, shows us what we could be by actually showing us what we could be!
Hugo Award for Best Novelette Prediction
My prediction for the winner of the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.
Narrative Voice
The style and voice of the narrator is arguably one of the most important aspects of a story.
The Sci-Fi Morality Tale
The science fiction genre lends itself very well to morality tales, where the protagonist, or the reader, can learn a valuable lesson.
Just Ask Your Characters
Characters push the plot forward. It’s an easy thing to forget, but it can make or break your story.
Science Fiction 101 Review
Science Fiction 101 is an anthology of hand-picked classic science fiction from the Golden Age of the genre.
Zombies & The Loss of Control
Zombies are a great storytelling device, representing built-in conflict and the total loss of control.
Clarity vs. Confusion
The Golden Age of magazine science fiction offered us some great stories, but also some very confusing ones, which got me thinking about our different styles of writing.
Messing With Nature
Messing with nature is a popular sci-fi theme, stemming from our very human curiosity, desire for knowledge and inability to accept ourselves.
Hugo Award for Best Short Story Prediction
My prediction for the winner of the 2018 Hugo Award for Best Short Story.
Aristotle’s Poetics
Thinking about science fiction got me thinking about storytelling in general. So I went back to the original guide on storytelling, Aristotle’s Poetics.
No Woman Born: A Study in Character
The novella “No Woman Born” shows us that a science fiction story can have an incredibly low amount of action while still being incredibly compelling.
Book 16: I, Robot
I’m so excited to dive into I, Robot, the 16th book on my list and a science fiction gem.
Characterization in Science Fiction – The More the Merrier
Robert Silverberg’s Science Fiction 101 offers some interesting ideas about science fiction that are worth discussing.
The 2018 Hugo Award Nominees
The Hugo Award nominees were announced last weekend. Here I present to you the nominees of the main written categories.
Book 15: Space Cadet
In which I once again put down a book that is becoming painful to read. Robert Heinlein’s Space Cadet is heavy on the world-building, light on the pacing and story.
First Guest Post! A Review of the Novel Grass
Happy Friday! I’m excited to present The Sci-Fi Novel’s first guest post! It’s a review of the 1989 sci-fi novel Grass.
What Makes Great Science Fiction?
I think the best science fiction stories are jarring. They wake us up and show us to ourselves.
Lessons From Five Years of (Attempted) Novel-Writing
It’s been an intense journey, with many hills and valleys, but the past five years of writing my novel have brought some hard-won lessons.
The Quest to Overcome Humanity: Black Mirror’s Warning
The show Black Mirror shows us the consequences of attempting to overcome humanity.
On Writing
Stephen King’s On Writing is a must-read for everyone interested in setting pen to paper!
Who’s the Real Monster? The Tragedy of Frankenstein’s Creation
Taking a deep dive into the tragedy of Jake’s life in Frankenstein.
That Hideous Strength aka I Just Can’t Right Now
In which I casually and calmly put down That Hideous Strength and walk away, maybe forever.
Progress/Production
I talked about the theme of progress and production in my review of R.U.R. Here, I unpack that theme a bit more.
10,000 Hours
Steven Pressfield, a fantastic author, has some great insight into the 10,000 hours rule.
Voyage to Venus
I finally finished Voyage to Venus. Unfortunately, I can count it among my least favourite novels so far.
Talking to People
Talking to people, and really listening, is where all the best things in life happen.
A Mirror & A Lens: Why I Love Science Fiction
Science fiction is a mirror and a lens that allows us to see ourselves with clarity and insight.
Trappist-1 Discovery
My thoughts on the discovery of seven planets that could support life in the Trappist-1 system!
Book 10: Out of the Silent Planet
My review of the novel Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis, the 10th book on my sci-fi list.
The Last Goodbye
The author Chuck Wendig issued an interesting flash fiction challenge this week. As a result, please enjoy this short story.
Book 9: At the Mountains of Madness
My review of the sci-fi novel At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft, the ninth book on my list.
Book 8: Lost Horizon: A Novel of Shangri-La
My review of Lost Horizon by James Hilton, the eighth book on my list!
The Ethics of Westworld
Today I’d like to talk about my favourite new sci-fi show Westworld and some of the ethical questions it raises.
Book 7: Brave New World
Behold my review of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, the seventh book on my list of the best science fiction books of all time.
The Creature
The author Chuck Wendig runs a superb and hilarious writing blog, and periodically he puts out a flash fiction challenge. I decided to take part in this one. Enjoy!
Why I Love Robots
The next story on my list is the play R.U.R by Czech writer Karl Capek. That review will come shortly, but I wanted to write a pre-post as it were about robots in general and why I’m so fascinated by them.
Book 5: The War of the Worlds
My review of The War of the Worlds, the fifth book on my list of the best sci-fi novels of all time and the first to include aliens!
Utopia/Dystopia
Today I’d like to talk a little bit about the post-utopian theme found in The Time Machine (and other sci-fi stories of course).
Breakthrough Starshot
If I may, I’d like to take a moment to talk about science fact today rather than science fiction.
The Mad Scientist Narrative Arc
Let’s talk a little bit about what I like to call the Mad Scientist Plot Line or Narrative Arc. I outlined this particular series of events in my post on The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Book 3: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
My book review of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the third book on my list of the best science fiction novels of all time, and easily one of my favourites.
Book 2: Journey to the Center of the Earth
My review of Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne, the second book on my sci-fi list.
Book 1: Frankenstein
“By the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open…”
Why This Blog? Why Now?
I’m writing a sci-fi novel, so it was brought to my attention that if I really wanted to blog, I should blog about my favourite subject, science fiction!
