Episodes

  • Ninety degrees from everything

    Ninety degrees from everything
    May 16 2024
    My novelette, An Illicit Mercy, is part of a new promotion in May and June, Science Fiction & Fantasy Reads.Check out over 75 books available for free.My latest novelette, “Long Night On the Endless City,” appears in Boundary Shock Quarterly 26: Tomorrow’s Crimes:On the vast ring habitat Ouroboros, Jel and her synthetic companion Marcus search for Arja, the third member of their triad. This quest leads them to a cryptic technology cult with questionable motives. When they suffer a vicious attack, Marcus and Jel join forces with one of Ouroboros’most renowned computer and robotics experts to get to the bottom of the mystery.This thought-provoking sf tale explores artificial intelligence, religion, and the ties that bind families together in a fast-paced story full of action, intrigue, and heart.Get your FREE copy of Designating the FutureThe newest colony, Merocius, represents hope for a brighter future, away from the overpopulated Homeworld. But landing a spot on “The Aspire” is difficult.They need the best of the best on this mission because there’s no room for mistakes. The ship is the largest, the distance the farthest, and the solar system the most unexplored. Nothing can go wrong.To say they’re being highly selective would be an understatement.Meet the crew of The Aspire before they find out if their post’s approved and see how close some come to being left behind.Join my newsletter and get Designating the Future today!by Brian Scott Pauls with the help of ChatGPT 3.5The quest to understand the fundamental nature of our universe has been a driving force in human exploration and scientific inquiry for centuries. One of the most intriguing questions that have puzzled scientists and philosophers alike is the true dimensionality of the space we inhabit. While we experience the world in three spatial dimensions, theoretical physicists have proposed the existence of additional dimensions beyond our conventional perception.Thanks for reading The Cosmic Codex! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.A number of science fiction writers have based stories on the concept of additional dimensions:“‘—And He Built a Crooked House—’” by Robert A. HeinleinYoung, eccentric architect Quintus Teal designs a house based on a tesseract, a four-dimensional geometric shape. However, when an earthquake strikes, the house collapses, but not in the way one might expect. Instead of crumbling to the ground, the structure folds in on itself, creating a bizarre and mind-bending labyrinth of interconnected rooms and corridors. As Teal, his friend Homer Bailey, and Bailey’s wife Matilda explore Teal’s strangely distorted creation, they must grapple with surreal challenges posed by its now four-dimensional shape. With wit and ingenuity, Heinlein crafts a tale that explores the boundaries of perception and reality, challenging readers to rethink their understanding of space and dimensionality.“Mimsy Were the Borogoves” by Lewis PadgettThis captivating tale, written by C. L. Moore and Henry Kuttner under a pseudonym, begins when a box of futuristic toys from the future is accidentally sent back in time and ends up in the hands of two young siblings, Scott and Emma. Unbeknownst to the children, the toys are designed to enhance intelligence and perception, in part through the understanding of non-Euclidean and multidimensional geometry. As their minds expand and their perceptions shift, the children's newfound abilities lead them to uncover secrets that reshape their understanding of reality. Through its blend of science fiction and fantasy, "Mimsy Were the Borogoves" explores themes of childhood innocence, the nature of intelligence, and the transformative power of imagination.A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’EngleThis young adult novel is a timeless tale of adventure, courage, and the power of love across the dimensions of space and time. The story follows Meg Murry, her brilliant brother Charles Wallace, and their friend Calvin O'Keefe as they embark on a cosmic journey to rescue Meg's father, a scientist who has disappeared while researching interdimensional travel. Guided by three mysterious beings—Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which—the children traverse the universe, encountering strange worlds and confronting dark forces that seek to enslave entire civilizations. "A Wrinkle in Time" invites readers of all ages to ponder the mysteries of the universe and the infinite possibilities that lie beyond the confines of ordinary reality.Thank you for reading The Cosmic Codex. This post is public so feel free to share it.In this article, we delve into the fascinating realm of multidimensional space and explore the various theories that attempt to explain how many dimensions may make up our universe.The Three Dimensions We KnowOur everyday experience of space is defined by three spatial dimensions: length, width, and height. These dimensions allow us to navigate and ...
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    10 mins
  • When minds collide

    When minds collide
    May 4 2024



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thecosmiccodex.com
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    6 mins
  • "Probability Amplitudes" has a new cover

    "Probability Amplitudes" has a new cover
    Apr 26 2024
    My novelette, An Illicit Mercy, is part of a new promotion in April and May, Free Sci-Fi and Fantasy.Check out nearly 75 books available for free.My latest novelette, “Long Night On the Endless City,” appears in Boundary Shock Quarterly 26: Tomorrow’s Crimes:On the vast ring habitat Ouroboros, Jel and her synthetic companion Marcus search for Arja, the third member of their triad. This quest leads them to a cryptic technology cult with questionable motives. When they suffer a vicious attack, Marcus and Jel join forces with one of Ouroboros’most renowned computer and robotics experts to get to the bottom of the mystery.This thought-provoking sf tale explores artificial intelligence, religion, and the ties that bind families together in a fast-paced story full of action, intrigue, and heart.Get your FREE copy of The Great Asteroid TheftA Star Lawyers Series PrequelThe Great Asteroid Theft – Murder, conspiracy, clash of rival star nations over vast wealth from mining asteroids. And sizzling romance on the frontier world of Olathe-5.Alien claim-jumpers are robbing asteroid miners of their hard-won discoveries in the vast, four-belted Olathe System. These pirates are carting off high value ores while officials of the Terran Commonwealth take bribes to look the other way.Meet young attorneys Tyler and J.B. Matthews long before they launched Star Lawyers Corporation. You’ll also encounter the spicy East Indian Lieutenant Varuna Singh, attorney with the Energy Consortium who teams up with the Matthews brothers to stop the Great Asteroid Theft.The Star Lawyers series starts at Olathe-5. Be there when Tyler and J.B. launch their careers in this 32nd century, crime and punishment legal thriller.I’m a visual thinker. Pictorial representations of my work serve as both an inspiration and a motivation to write.In previous posts about my upcoming collection, Probability Amplitudes, I’ve used the following image of the cover:I purchased this image in 2021, when I first began working on my first collection in earnest. I saw it available online and grabbed it before someone else did. I also wanted to see what my as-yet-nonexistent book would look like. Seeing it helped me believe I could do it.Thanks for reading The Cosmic Codex! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Since then, the length of Probability Amplitudes has increased, both in overall word count and the number of stories. This calls for a change in the subtitle. As any modification requires me to go back to the cover creator and pay a change fee, I’ve been holding off until I’m certain how many stories the book will contain.In the meantime, three years have passed. Tastes change. Even when I bought this cover, the image may have been on the outer edge of what the market preferred. Now I’m concerned it may be completely out-of-date.While I’ve been working on my stories, I’ve also been experimenting with artificial intelligence tools. These include Midjourney, which I use to create digital illustrations for The Cosmic Codex.Thank you for reading The Cosmic Codex. This post is public so feel free to share it.I realized with Midjourney and an affordable BookBrush subscription, I could make custom book covers using BookBrush’s cover creation tool. I tried it, and was more impressed with the fonts available from BookBrush than I had been with those on the cover I bought. I also felt Midjourney did a respectable job producing a background image, allowing me to specify elements I liked about the purchased cover. And if I change my mind, I can create new mock-ups myself, whenever I want.See the result below:When I shared both covers with a few prospective readers, asking which they preferred, sentiment was overwhelmingly in favor of the new cover. I plan to use it for the book when I’m ready to publish.As far as that goes, I’ve made a little progress chipping away at the amount of new material required. It’s down to 46% (from 47%) of the anticipated 160,000 words. But I noticed I had mis-categorized some material as “Final Draft” which was really “First Draft.” I’ve corrected this in the following chart:I still have long way to go, but I’m encouraged by what I’ve accomplished so far. The end is in sight.See below for links to three short stories (and the excerpt of another) which I plan to include in Probability Amplitudes.Short Stories* “The Play of Light In the Present Moment”* ”Critical Impact Vulnerabilities”* ”Chthonic Echoes”Excerpt* Long Night On the Endless CityQuestions or comments? Please share your thoughts! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thecosmiccodex.com
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    3 mins
  • An illustrious career in science fiction publishing

    An illustrious career in science fiction publishing
    Apr 20 2024
    My novelette, An Illicit Mercy, is part of a new promotion in April and May, Free Sci-Fi and Fantasy.Check out nearly 75 books available for free.My latest novelette, “Long Night On the Endless City,” appears in Boundary Shock Quarterly 26: Tomorrow’s Crimes:On the vast ring habitat Ouroboros, Jel and her synthetic companion Marcus search for Arja, the third member of their triad. This quest leads them to a cryptic technology cult with questionable motives. When they suffer a vicious attack, Marcus and Jel join forces with one of Ouroboros’most renowned computer and robotics experts to get to the bottom of the mystery.This thought-provoking sf tale explores artificial intelligence, religion, and the ties that bind families together in a fast-paced story full of action, intrigue, and heart.A reluctant thief. A caring robot. A death that changes everything.Get your FREE copy of Neuracode - Part 1 by Eris Goode and Kris Ruhler.QUINN wants nothing more than to live a normal life after being rescued from the New Realm station. But when he and his eccentric friend Hana encounter Cass, he finds himself dragged into countless daring schemes.Normal is no longer an option.And with their most ambitious job on the horizon, the stakes are higher than ever. They’ll need to pull out all the stops—their lives depend on it.TSUKI is a special PAC—Personal Assistant and Care—bot. Her unique personality chip allows her to experience the intricacies of life, including a wide spectrum of emotions.Humanity is hers to embrace.Through painting and taking care of her friends, Tsuki enjoys her life on the New Realm station. But she’s about to discover everything she thought she knew about humanity is wrong. So very wrong.Neuracode: Part I is the first half of the prequel to Project Juniper, a thrilling YA/NA cyberpunk series written by Eris Goode.Like millions of other science fiction readers, and thousands of science fiction writers, I found my view of the sf genre profoundly affected by Robert A. Heinlein. Throughout junior high and high school, the compelling characters and convincing science in his juveniles defined well-written, believable science fiction for me.Thanks for reading The Cosmic Codex! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.First the idea, then the reality of space travel inspired Heinlein’s writing. Unlike much of his work for adults, many of the juveniles were set within the Solar System. It didn’t matter they were already 30 years old when I read them. Heinlein described a future in which I wanted to live, and made it seem possible.In 2003, the Heinlein Society created the Robert A. Heinlein Award “[f]or outstanding published works in science fiction and technical writings to inspire the human exploration of space.” The Baltimore Science Fiction Society presents the award each year.Tom Doherty, founder of Tor Books, is the winner of the 2024 Robert A. Heinlein Award, “…in recognition of Mr. Doherty’s work in bringing the inspiring books of hundreds of authors writing about our future in Space [sic] to public awareness.”Thank you for reading The Cosmic Codex. This post is public so feel free to share it.Doherty was born in Hartford, Connecticut in 1935. He majored in chemical engineering and philosophy at Hartford’s Trinity College. Following service in the Army, Doherty entered the publishing field as a sales representative. He worked for a number of publishers, including Pocket Books and Simon & Schuster.In 1980, Doherty founded Tom Doherty Associates Inc. and began to publish using the imprint “Tor Books.” With Jim Baen and Dick Gallen, he spun off Baen Books in 1983. Finding Tor’s growth constrained, Doherty sold the company to a subsidiary of Macmillan in 1987.Today, Tor is a major publisher of science fiction and fantasy, claiming the status of “…the world’s premier publisher of novella-length…” works in these genres.The Baltimore Science Fiction Society will formally present Doherty with this year’s Robert A. Heinlein Award at Balticon 58 on Friday, May 24.Questions or comments? Please share your thoughts! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thecosmiccodex.com
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    3 mins
  • "Long Night On the Endless City"

    "Long Night On the Endless City"
    Apr 3 2024
    My novelette, An Illicit Mercy, is part of a new promotion in March and April, Page Turner Freebies.Check out nearly 65 books available for free.Can Brodia slip into the enemy’s stronghold without risking her daughter’s life?Get your FREE sample of Withered Wizard by Kevin P. HallettGrab a sample of the sixth book in the series.After the Defenders of Vosj split up, Grand Wizard Preem goes south to create diversions to entice the count from his stronghold. Meanwhile Jisana starts a rebellion in the realm’s capital in the hope the enemy won’t see Brodia slinking toward their headquarters. But the crippled grand wizard sees enough and sets his own plans to eliminate the last of his enemies.Like any mother, Brodia is determined to protect her five-year-old daughter, Tresela. Unlike other mother’s, Brodia is a Defender and must risk all to win freedom for her people. But protecting Tresela will put her in greater danger where she could lose her ability to perform magic.In my own fiction, I enjoy examining themes such as artificial intelligence, life in the future, religion, and the human condition. I bring all these together in “Long Night On the Endless City,” my latest novelette, available in Boundary Shock Quarterly 26:On the vast ring habitat Ouroboros, Jel and her synthetic companion Marcus search for Arja, the third member of their triad. This quest leads them to a cryptic technology cult with questionable motives. When they suffer a vicious attack, Marcus and Jel join forces with one of Ouroboros’ most renowned computer and robotics experts to get to the bottom of the mystery.This thought-provoking sf tale explores artificial intelligence, religion, and the ties that bind families together in a fast-paced story full of action, intrigue, and heart.Thanks for reading The Cosmic Codex! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Here’s an excerpt:“Long Night On the Endless City”by Brian Scott PaulsStudy others to discern why they do what they do, but first study yourself for the same reason.—Marcus Aurelius, “Meditations”Ouroboros was well-named. It encircled the world. It was the world.The City stretched out before Jel, into what passed for night here. She couldn’t call it “dark,” not when compared with a moonless night on the far side of her homeworld, Callisto. But “bright” didn’t fit either, compared to what the City’s day must be like. “Dim” seemed to be the best word. It might be dimmer than twilight on Terra. Although she’d never been there and couldn’t know for sure.It was dim enough that the Ouroborans used artificial illumination at night.A broad swath of lights ran ahead of her. Close at hand, she saw the fixed points of windows, and the moving fireflies of traffic in the air and on the ground. Degree by degree, the brilliant strip narrowed with perspective as it gained elevation. In the far distance, it arced up to meet the terminator, where night ceased.Once in sunlight, the ring’s true glory became visible. Jel gazed upon a blue-green-brown ribbon of water, vegetation, and land. It spanned a width of four hundred kilometers from edge to edge. The City proper, a glittering band of diamond and titanium, ran down its exact center. This colossal structure looped up to an apex over four million kilometers away. There it bent back over her head and descended. It appeared to widen as it approached. The details of mountains and seas grew more clear as the distance decreased. The reflected sunlight shone brighter than hundreds of moons. Close to her, the ring dropped into light-spangled night once more, joining itself where she stood. Far off to her left and right, she saw the unbroken lines of the walls, two hundred kilometers away in each direction. Vast swaths of cropland and wilderness separated them from the buildings of the City. They rose 100 kilometers, higher than the air itself, holding in the sky. Constructing Ouroboros had required many scientific and engineering breakthroughs. No individual understood everything necessary to keep it functioning.Thank you for reading The Cosmic Codex. This post is public so feel free to share it.Jel wished she could see Terra, 60 degrees behind the City, in the same orbit. But at the moment it was “beneath” her, hidden by the ring on which she stood.Trillions lived here. Legend said if you wanted to find something in Sol system, you could find it on the Endless City.Somewhere within this mass of buildings and people, she would find Arja. And answers.“Jel.”The message broke through her reverie.“Hi Marcus. Need something?” She’d come up here to be alone, but the synth was the only partner she had left. They had to take care of each other.“My apologies, Jel,” it responded. “A gentleman has come to our suite. He claims to know Arja’s whereabouts and wants to talk with us.”“Who is it?”“He’s refusing to give his name.”Rend it. What in all the hells?“I'll be...
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    11 mins
  • Seeking a place to be free

    Seeking a place to be free
    Mar 29 2024
    My novelette, An Illicit Mercy, is part of a new promotion in March and April, Page Turner Freebies.Check out nearly 65 books available for free.My latest novelette, “In the Country of Free Men,” appears in Boundary Shock Quarterly 25: Gulliver’s Other Travels:In this thrilling tale, Granuaile Moore, the great-granddaughter of Lemuel Gulliver, travels to the mysterious Moon. There, she gets caught up in an adventure beyond her wildest dreams.When her scout flyer is attacked and destroyed, Moore finds herself at the mercy of the cruel ruler known as the Drummer. Imprisoned in his decaying palace, she befriends Tichollo, a young servant boy, and hatches a desperate plan to escape back to Earth.Pursued by the Drummer’s soldiers, the two race across a bizarre lunar landscape in a bid for freedom. They must reunite with the island-ship Lemuel II, if it's still there!Moore’s quest to explore new worlds has led her into grave danger. But with courage and cleverness, she might live to sail the skies once more.Science Fiction Space OperaGet your FREE copy of Star Rider Emerges by Heidi SkarieWill a young woman survive when her village is destroyed by an alien space fleet?Toemeka lives with her family in an idyllic mountain village on a distant planet. The village is aware of the war that rages on their planet but the elders believe it won’t touch them. They are about to be proved wrong.The tale is the exciting backstory to Star Rider on the Razor’s Edge that reveals the events that led up to Toemeka joining the Coalition of Free Nation and becoming an undercover operative.“It was summer, and the world was as bright as a lightning flash. Blue sky. Red dirt. Everything was set alight. Vern tried to cherish it, to turn toward the sun the way bluebells did, but Vern still lusted after the dark of the woods, where she was born, where her true self had been made.”― Rivers Solomon, SorrowlandIf Ray Bradbury had been born black, non-binary, and intersex, he might have written something as beautiful as Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon.Thanks for reading The Cosmic Codex! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Winner of the 2021 Otherwise Award for works of speculative fiction which explore and expand gender, Sorrowland examines race, sexual identity, and what it means to live as a minority in a country built in large measure by and for an oblivious, uncaring, or malicious majority.Solomon tells the story of Vern, an albino black woman who escapes the black separatist Christian compound where she has been raised and abused. Pregnant, she slips away into the surrounding woods where she gives birth and undergoes a physical and psychological transformation.Sorrowland is the best book I read last year. While no book is perfect, I left this novel deeply moved and transformed myself.Solomon’s writing is both lush, as in the opening citation, and hard hitting. She has no patience for the ways in which American society marginalizes and exploits those who, like her, look and love in ways different from the ruling cast. As she says in her Author’s Note:“This story takes place on stolen land. While Sorrowland is set in a United States with a speculative and amorphous shape, the geography and settings explored are based on areas traditionally stewarded by the Tonkawa, Caddo Nation, and Lipan Apache in what are colonially known as Central and East Texas, as well as on lands historically, inhabited by various Plains nations with shifting territories, including the Apsáalooke/Crow, Oceti Sakowin/Sioux, and Arapaho, in what settlers have designated Wyoming and Montana. No story of the so-called United States is complete without an understanding of its foundation on genocide and dislocation, nor without acknowledgment of the Indigenous people still here fighting the ongoing occupation.”Thank you for reading The Cosmic Codex. This post is public so feel free to share it.There is little doubt as to why Solomon's protagonist sacrifices so much in search of a freedom she has never known.In passages like the following, the author revels in describing motivations and relationships in ways that challenge readers, even as her words draw us in:“What turned babies, fragile and curious, into Shermans? Into Ollies? Into men who could not interact with a new thing without wanting to dominate it?What order of events did Vern need to disrupt in the lives of the millions upon millions who woke up every morning proud to be Americans? What made someone love lies?She saw that cursed flag on the hunter's T-shirt and wondered if he knew about the glut of traumas that define this nation's founding. Had he fallen so in love with the myth of belonging that he thought the corpses of his imaginary foes were worthwhile sacrifices toward barbecues, megachurches, bandannas, and hot dogs?The primary freedoms this nation protected were the ones to own and annihilate.”Solomon has a gift for describing her ...
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    6 mins
  • A singular writer

    A singular writer
    Mar 23 2024
    My novelette, An Illicit Mercy, is part of a new promotion in March, SciFi and Fantasy MegaGiveaway.Check out nearly 90 novels, excerpts, and short stories, available for free.My latest novelette, “In the Country of Free Men,” appears in Boundary Shock Quarterly 25: Gulliver’s Other Travels:In this thrilling tale, Granuaile Moore, the great-granddaughter of Lemuel Gulliver, travels to the mysterious Moon. There, she gets caught up in an adventure beyond her wildest dreams.When her scout flyer is attacked and destroyed, Moore finds herself at the mercy of the cruel ruler known as the Drummer. Imprisoned in his decaying palace, she befriends Tichollo, a young servant boy, and hatches a desperate plan to escape back to Earth.Pursued by the Drummer’s soldiers, the two race across a bizarre lunar landscape in a bid for freedom. They must reunite with the island-ship Lemuel II, if it's still there!Moore’s quest to explore new worlds has led her into grave danger. But with courage and cleverness, she might live to sail the skies once more.Get your FREE copy of The Blackmail Job by Shane ShepherdJason “Key” Rokku has just been released from prison after 10 years. Dumped back on the moon, Izanami, of his origin planet (Izanagi) he struggles to make it back into society. No one is willing to handle an ex-convict. That is except Apollus Tuck, a businessman who owns a few restaurants across the resource rich moon. Key comes to Tuck's attention when he prevents a kidnapping and as a result Tuck offers him a position as a bodyguard.Tuck's political ambitions are in jeopardy when he is blackmailed by a former friend who has an embarrassing tape of a drunken Tuck at a party. He sends Key to retrieve the tape, but the opposing political party is also after the tape in the hopes they can end his campaign before it starts. They have hired a Freelancer from the infamous Empire-free VokGuild to mediate with Tuck's ex-friend and safely courier the tape to them. Key will have his work cut out for him if he hopes to get the tape before it’s too late.As I recall, I first learned of Vernor Vinge a year or two out of college. My friend Karl had stopped by after visiting our local used book store. He’d picked up a copy of Day of the Triffids as a gift for me. He’d also donated his copy of Vinge’s Hugo Award-winning 1992 novel A Fire Upon the Deep. I told him I’d never read it. In fact, I had never heard of it.Thanks for reading The Cosmic Codex! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Karl proceeded to describe the overall premise of the novel, his excitement obvious in his voice and manner. He finished by telling me,“You have to read it! I’m going to go buy it back and give it to you. Just promise me you’ll donate it back again when you’ve finished it.”I was a bit skeptical I would enjoy the book as much as Karl did. But it sounded like a good space opera, so I was game.I shouldn’t have doubted. Not only is A Fire Upon the Deep one of the best space opera’s I’ve ever read. It’s one of the best science fiction books I’ve ever read.Vinge posits a universe where the laws of physics change the further one is from the center of the galaxy.In the center (the “Unthinking Depths”) computers and even biological brains have trouble functioning.Further out, in a ring (the “Slow Zone”) around the Unthinking Depths, life has no problem evolving intelligence, but true artificial intelligence is impossible, as is faster-than-light travel. This is where ancient Earth is located, but humanity has left it long ago.In the outermost ring (the “Beyond”), science fiction societies abound, with intelligent computers, megastructures, faster-than-light starships, etc.Surrounding the Beyond, at the outer fringes of the Milky Way (the “Transcend”) super-intelligent godlike (or demonlike) beings think imponderable thoughts and do unknowable things.It’s magnificent, and won its author the 1993 Hugo Award (his first of three.)Thank you for reading The Cosmic Codex. This post is public so feel free to share it.Vinge taught computer science at San Diego university until he retired in 2000 to concentrate on writing. His area of expertise shows up in his work, as in the galactic version of Usenet that ties the civilizations of the Beyond together. And in A Deepness in the Sky, a prequel to A Fire Upon the Deep, where a back door written into a version of Unix/Linux with centuries-long pedigree plays a crucial role. I was privileged to be present in 2000 when Vinge received the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Deepness at the Campbell Conference in Lawrence, Kansas. The book also won Vinge his second Hugo.Vinge’s background in computer science led him to propose his most famous idea, the Singularity. His article “"The Coming Technological Singularity: How to Survive in the Post-Human Era” appeared in a 1993 issue of the magazine Whole Earth Review.Vernor Vinge died on ...
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    4 mins
  • Science fiction is literature

    Science fiction is literature
    Mar 12 2024
    My novelette, An Illicit Mercy, is part of a new promotion in March, SciFi and Fantasy MegaGiveaway.Check out nearly 90 novels, excerpts, and short stories, available for free.My latest novelette, “In the Country of Free Men,” appears in Boundary Shock Quarterly 25: Gulliver’s Other Travels:In this thrilling tale, Granuaile Moore, the great-granddaughter of Lemuel Gulliver, travels to the mysterious Moon. There, she gets caught up in an adventure beyond her wildest dreams.When her scout flyer is attacked and destroyed, Moore finds herself at the mercy of the cruel ruler known as the Drummer. Imprisoned in his decaying palace, she befriends Tichollo, a young servant boy, and hatches a desperate plan to escape back to Earth.Pursued by the Drummer’s soldiers, the two race across a bizarre lunar landscape in a bid for freedom. They must reunite with the island-ship Lemuel II, if it's still there!Moore’s quest to explore new worlds has led her into grave danger. But with courage and cleverness, she might live to sail the skies once more.Spaceship Fortune Declares an EmergencyGet your FREE copy of Children of Alphas Prologue by Diana Fedorak.A sneak peek at Children of Alpheios.When Nina evacuates the spacecraft Fortune, she's forced to reckon with drastic changes after being plunged into an unknown world.This updated 2nd edition contains an exclusive prologue with a new map and scenes for the award-winning novel, Children of Alphieos. Enjoy a preview of this unforgettable dystopian story about a young mother who fights a biotech corporation to save her son when he's born with an exceptional DNA anomaly.Club Codex is reading and discussing the Prometheus Award-winning novel “Cloud-Castles” by Dave Freer through March 16.Here’s my post on Chapters 14-20:“The outback is where "Cloud-Castles" really comes into its own. I appreciate the loving detail with which Freer has created both the ecology of Sybil III's floating plants, and the society of the outbackers. Augustus also responds well to the outback, where he has at last found his people. Here is a society which respects his savant ingenuity, and protects him against the potential consequences of his tunnel-vision. Briz's story is getting more interesting, too. I'm looking forward to how she resolves the conundrum she's created for herself.”If you’ve read or are reading this novel, please share your thoughts in the following thread:Click here for more details about Club Codex in 2024. Please join us!In the nearly three years since I launched The Cosmic Codex, I’ve reviewed ten science fiction works: five short stories, three books, a graphic novel, and a role-playing game. I plan to write more reviews, but I’ve realized I need a fair and constructive framework for doing so. This is the only way I can do justice to other writers when commenting on their work.Thanks for reading The Cosmic Codex! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Damon KnightRecognizing this need, I chose to read Damon Knight’s 1956 collection of sf criticism, In Search of Wonder. In his introduction to the first edition, author (and critic in his own right) Anthony Boucher credits Knight with “…introduc[ing] criticism into professional magazines…” By “professional magazines” Boucher means professional science fiction magazines. He explains what he means by “criticism” as follows:“The critic attempts to measure the work by more lasting and more nearly absolute standards, to determine its place, not for the read of the moment, but for the cultivated mind viewing the entire art of which this work forms a segment.”Knight himself had a “credo” for reviewing science fiction, which he reiterates in Chapter 2 of In Search of Wonder.As a critic, I operate under certain basic assumptions, all eccentric, to wit:* That the term “science fiction” is a misnomer, that trying to get two enthusiasts to agree on a definition of it leads only to bloody knuckles; that better labels have been devised (Heinlein’s suggestion, “speculative fiction,” is the best, I think), but that we’re stuck with this one; and that it will do us no particular harm if we remember that, like “The Saturday Evening Post,” it means what we point to when we say it.* That a publisher’s jacket blurb and a book review are two different things, and should be composed accordingly.* That science fiction is a field of literature worth taking seriously, and that ordinary critical standards can be meaningfully applied to it: e.g., originality, sincerity, style, construction, logic, coherence, sanity, garden-variety grammar.* That a bad book hurts science fiction more than ten bad notices.Thank you for reading The Cosmic Codex. This post is public so feel free to share it.The third point is the most important. Serious authors of sf should take the phrase “science fiction is a field of literature” to heart. I expect most authors want their work to be ...
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    12 mins