Author Archives: 9siduri

Review of “The Devil Doll” (1936)

Saturday pizza and bad movie night with Svengoolie. This was an old-fashioned melodrama of sorts. And pizza. Plot:Paul Lavond (Lionel Barrymore) and an elderly Marcel (Henry B. Walthall) escape Devil’s Island—no mean feat. They arrive at Marcel’s home, where his wife Malita (Rafaela Ottiano) has been carrying on his experiments in shrinking living beings, namelyContinue reading “Review of “The Devil Doll” (1936)”

Review of “Can you come out and play?” by Rick McQuiston

Plot: The narrator is mourning his wife, who died in childbirth. Two earlier pregnancies ended in stillbirths. While there was still hope, he whispered to his wife’s belly, “Can you come out and play?” Now, months later, the narrator is making himself some tea. He sees something moving in his yard but doesn’t want toContinue reading “Review of “Can you come out and play?” by Rick McQuiston”

Review of “The Beast Weeps with One Eye” by Morgan Al-Moor

Regarding PodCastle I’ve been considering adding to the media that I draw reviews from. Some time ago, I stumbled across PodCastle, which, true to its name, offers fantasy stories via podcast. They also have online text versions. They solicit paid subscriptions of various levels, but the podcast and online versions are readily available without cost.Continue reading “Review of “The Beast Weeps with One Eye” by Morgan Al-Moor”

Review of “A Kept Species” by Jamie Wahls

Plot: The story looks back at the alien invasion: The aliens [sic]ships deployed missiles the size of roses’ thorns, and sleeted down over our cities. They interfaced with the internet, uploaded themselves into our computers and phones, and seized control. When people cry out, asking what the aliens want, the only answer they receive isContinue reading “Review of “A Kept Species” by Jamie Wahls”

Review of “Tarantula” (1955)

Saturday pizza and bad movie night with Svengoolie featured a 50s black-and-white mad scientist and monster flick—and some unfortunate sheep. Plot:The opening scenes show a deformed man (an uncredited Eddie Parker) stumbling through a desert. Dressed in striped pajamas, he’s obviously near death and soon collapses near a highway. The camera pans away from him,Continue reading “Review of “Tarantula” (1955)”

Review of “Oblivious Obsolescence” by Don Nigroni

Plot:There isn’t a plot to this one. The narrator is reacting to a November 1980 article he (?) read, presumably in 2019, about occupations that became obsolete in the twentieth century: switchboard operator, elevator operator, iceman, cigarette girl, and pinsetter. The narrator and generations of his family have followed one now-obsolete occupation—yeah, thanks very much,Continue reading “Review of “Oblivious Obsolescence” by Don Nigroni”

Review of “The Capes We Wear” by Avra Margariti

Plot:Wonderboy, with his sidekick (and uncle), the Shield, defends Trafalgar Square against an attack of flying robot monkeys. One of the monstrosities bites Wonderboy, who calls out to his Uncle Elijah before he blacks out. The Shield removes a glove and blasts the monkey into oblivion. He sees the attack as the sloppy work ofContinue reading “Review of “The Capes We Wear” by Avra Margariti”

Review of Island of Terror (1966)

As promised, monsters and cheesy specials effects. Saturday night pizza and bad movie night with Svengoolie. Plot: On isolated Petrie Island off the Irish coast, Mrs. Bellows (Joyce Hemson) notices her husband Ian (Liam Gaffney) hasn’t come home. She contacts Constable John Harris (Sam Kydd) and asks him to go look for him. Meanwhile, oncologistContinue reading “Review of Island of Terror (1966)”

Review of “On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century” by Timothy Snyder

On Tyranny is a call to arms and a guide to resistance, with invaluable ideas for how we can preserve our freedoms in the uncertain years to come.