S - Other Writers

---------------------------------------------- Oliver Saari "The Door" © Astounding Stories, Nov 1941 --/ cool sf story A door from a desert into another dimension, but unfortunately - yet to another desert. The ultimate bummer. ---------------------------------------------- Oliver Saari "The Time Bender" © Astounding Stories, Aug 1937 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ rare find Richard Sabia "The Premier" © Amazing Stories, Sep 1959 russ. as "Premiera" --/ cool sf story --/ rare find ---------------------------------------------- Carl Sagan "Contact" (nv) © 1986, Harper Collins --first novel : 1986 Locus W --sf novel : 1986 Locus /15 This novel is good in conveying the cosmological scale of our existence, the yearning for contact beyond our little world, but it failed to produce in me any sizeable enthusiasm. It is more of the treatise, than a work of fiction. review: 07-Jul-06 (read in 1989) ---------------------------------------------- H. F. Saint "Memoirs Of An Invisible Man" (nv) © 1988, Donald Grant --shortlist : 1988 Clarke --first novel : 1988 Locus /11 --/ cool sf novel William Sanders "When This World Is All On Fire" © IASFM, Oct 2001 --short story : 2002 Locus Poll Kurt Sandner "Signal Iz Kosmosa" (nv) © 1960, Mir - Zarubezhnaya Fantastika trans. from German Ivan Sandroff "Out Of The Years" © Thrilling Wonder Stories, Feb 1941 Viktor Saparin "Chudovische Podvodnogo Kaniona" © Pioner, 1964 Fantastika - 65, 1965 Viktor Saparin "Na Vosmom Kilometre" © Iskatel, 1960 Mir Iskatelya, 1973 Patrice E. Sarath "A Prayer for Captain La Hire" © Black Gate, Sum 2002 Tony Sarowitz "Bringing Chairman To Order" © IASFM, Sep 1981 Al Sarrantonio "Pumpkin's Head" © Terrors, ed. Charles L. Grant, 1982 --/ cool f story John Saul "Punish The Sinners" (nv) © 1978, Dell Books --/ cool dark f novel ---------------------------------------------- Charles R. Saunders "The Pool Of The Moon" (Imaro series) © Dragon, Aug 1976 --fantasy series : 1982 Aurora --/ cool f novella These were the years of the emergence of "sword & sorcery" into paperbacks and magazines, even many grass-roots 'zines (this story is from one such semi-pro magazine). Typical mindless tale, which I tasted in many forms in the eighties, not finding what I was looking for - the sense of exploration, wonder and real adventure. Most are macho outings to cave in the heads of enemies and little else. review: 18-Jul-06 (read in 1989) ---------------------------------------------- George Saunders "The Red Bow" © Esquire, Sep 2003 --short fiction : 2004 Stoker Yacek Savashkevich "Kontakt" © Teknika Molodezhi, 1982 trans. from Polish --/ cool sf story Yacek Savashkevich "My Pozvolili Im Uletet" © Doroga Vospominani, 1981 trans. from Polish --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award Victor Savchenko "Proishestvii Net" © Fantastika - 83, 1983 Victor Savchenko "Roza Vetrov" © Fantastika-8, 1981 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ idea award --/ emotion award Rychard Savva "Polyot Dalnego Deistviya" © NF - 18, 1977 trans. from Polish --/ cool space sf story --/ adventure award Robert J. Sawyer "The Blue Planet" (also as "Mars Reacts!") © Toronto Globe and Mail, Dec 1999 Eric Schaller "The Assistant to Dr. Jacob" © Nemonymous, May 2002 --/ fourth place dark f story --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ shock value --/ rare find ---------------------------------------------- Eric Schaller "The Five Cigars Of Abu Ali" © Sci Fiction, Jan 2005 --/ fourth place f story --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ idea award This story is really fun. You might not laugh out loud, but you will have a few amusing minutes, contemplating the predicament of the central character, who messes around with a genuine Genie and his ambiguous present. This is a modern-day adaptation of a centuries-old myth of Aladdin, and it is every bit as fresh and interesting as a Disney version. "Abu Ali is a traveling rug dealer with a penchant for cigars. On one of his rug acquisition trips, he discovers a strange Coca-Cola bottle in a tiny shop, and when he uncaps it, a djinn, in classic storybook tradition, emerges. The djinn presents his rescuer with a gift, in this instance a magical cigar, which will impart untold riches when smoked. But djinn-kind are known to be tricksy and wicked. What cost to smoke the cigar?" (Tangent reviews) Eric Schaller is definitely a writer to watch, as he has a visual, engaging style, filling the narrative with a "Richness of Detail" rarely seen nowadays, without boring the reader. In other words, he is the next Steven Spielberg of the genre, if only he would put himself to it with true abandon. (unfortunately, he holds some other jobs which may stump his output... did I made myself clear enough that I can't wait to read more of his stories?) By the way, you can still read this story online at SciFiction.com. review: 9-Oct-06 (read in 2004) ---------------------------------------------- Hilbert Schenck "The Battle Of Abaco Reefs" © F&SF, 1979 --novella : 1980 Hugo --novella : 1980 Nebula --novella : 1980 Locus /5 Hilbert Schenck "Ed Lear Wasn't So Crazy!" © F&SF, Jun 1960 - poem Alexander Scherbakov "Sdvig" (nv) © 1982, Moscow --/ cool apocalyptic sf novel --/ rare find Stanley Schmidt "War Of Independence" © IASFM, Sep 1982 Alice Mary Schnirring "Child's Play" © 1941, Weird Tales --/ cool f story --/ style award --/ rare find David J. Schow "The Falling Man" (nv) © Twilight Zone, Oct 1988 book: NAL Onyx, 1990 --/ fourth place dark f novel --/ wonder award David J. Schow "Night Bloomer" © Seeing Red, 1990 --/ cool f story Darrell Schweitzer "The Fire Eggs" © Interzone, Mar 2000 --/ cool sf story Darrell Schweitzer "How It Ended" © Realms of Fantasy, Aug 2002 Robin Scott "The Big Connection" © 1971, Nova # 1 russ. as "Korotkoe Zamykanie" --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ humour award --/ rare find Robin Scott "Fair Test" © Galaxy, Apr 1967 Robin Scott "Last Train To Kankanee" © Again, Dangerous Visions, 1972 W. C. Scotten "A Matter of Condensation" © Analog, Jan 1987 --/ cool sf story William Sell "Other Tracks" © Astounding, Oct 1938 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ rare find Arthur Sellings "The Outstretched Hand" © New Worlds, May 1959 Vokrug Sveta, 1967 --/ fourth place f story --/ emotion award --/ rare find Arthur Sellings "A Start In Life" © Galaxy, Sep 1954 Time Transfer, 1956 --/ cool sf story David Seltzer "Omen" (nv) © 1978, Dell Books David Seltzer "Prophecy" (nv) © 1978, Dell Books G. Shakh "Esli By Ee Ne Unichtozhili" © NF - 14, Znanie, 1974 --/ cool sf story Alexander Shalimov "Koncentrator Gravitacii" © NF - 3, 1965 Kogda Molchat Ekrany, 1968 --/ cool sf story Joseph Shallit "Wonder Child" © Fantastic, Jan 1953 Fantastic, Jan 1966 --/ fourth place sf story --/ idea award --/ wonder award John S. Sharnik "The Limits Of Walter Horton" © Charm, 1954 William Shedenhelm "Patch" © Planet Stories, Fall 1950 --/ cool space sf story --/ wonder award --/ rare find Walt Sheldon "A Lack of Versimilitude" © Space Science Fiction, Nov 1952 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ humour award --/ rare find Walt Sheldon "Martian Through Georgia" © Amazing Stories, Aug 1951 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ humour award Walt Sheldon "Replica" © Startling Stories, Jan 1951 --/ cool sf story Walt Sheldon "The Shrine" © Fantastic Universe, Oct 1956 Walt Sheldon "The Time Cave" © 1941, Thrilling Wonder Stories --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ rare find Jerry Shelton "Battle of the Brains" (nv) © Thrilling Wonder Stories, Spr 1946 Fantastic Story, May 1953 ---------------------------------------------- Delia Sherman "The Faerie Cony-catcher" © Sirens, ed. E. Datlow, 1998 --/ cool faery f story --/ style award --/ romance award Everything is not what it seems in this folksy Elizabethan tale - one of the most stylish fairie romance tales. review: 16-Jul-06 (read in 2006) ---------------------------------------------- T. Sherred "E for Effort" © Astounding, May 1947 First Person Peculiar, 1972 --/ cool sf novella Sharon Shinn "Summers at Castle Auburn" (nv) © Ace Fantasy, 2001 Wilmar H. Shiras "Backward, Turn Backward" © New Worlds Of Fantasy # 2, ed. T. Carr, 1970 --/ cool sf novella Gary W. Shockley "Of Imaginary Airships and Minuscule Matter" © Sci Fiction, Jan 2005 Boris Shtern "Chia Planeta?" © Khimiya I Zhizn, 1980 Susan M. Shwartz "Heritage Of Flight" © Analog, Feb 1983 --finalist : 1990 Philip K. Dick Susan M. Shwartz "The Woman Of Flowers" (nv) (Heirs To Bysantium 2) © 1987, Questar Books --/ cool f novel Henry Hugh Simmons "The Perambulating Home" (Hicks' Inventions with a Kick series) © Amazing Stories, Aug 1928 --/ cool sf story --/ idea award --/ rare find Ramsey Sinclair "The Diamond Cosmos" © Amazing Stories, Apr 1950 ---------------------------------------------- Jack Skillingstead "Life on the Preservation" © IASFM, Jun 2006 --/ cool time sf story One of the few survivors of post-apocalyptic world is sent on a mission to destroy Seattle, which is nicely preserved in the past, but can not quite bring herself to do it, tasting sublime pleasures of the Pacific Northwest, San Juan Islands and overall ambience of the "Emerald City". I would totally agree with her, as Seattle area is one of my most favorite places to visit. Joking aside, the story I thought is mediocre and did not do anything for me. review: 23-Jul-06 (read in 2006) ---------------------------------------------- John Skipp "I've Been Waiting All My Life to Meet You" © Twilight Zone, Dec 1988 --/ cool f story Svyatoslav Slavchev "Golos, Kotory Tebya Zovyot" © 1972, Kosmisheski Hospital trans. from Bulgarian --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ rare find Svyatoslav Slavchev "Zagadka Beloi Doliny" © NF - 18, 1977 trans. from Bulgarian --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ rare find Ralph Sloan "Ordeal in Space" © 1949, Planet Stories --/ cool sf story --/ rare find ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edwin K. Sloat "Beyond the Planetoids" © Amazing Stories, Aug 1932 Great SF Classics magazine, 1967 --/ fourth place space sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ awesome scale --/ rare find Such a pity that this writer did not write many stories! The style may be not that polished, but action and wonder simply over-spill from the page! It is nothing less than all-stakes-pulled-out space piracy adventure, with all the right scale and details. Delicious. review: 01-Jul-06 (read in 2003) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Edwin K. Sloat "The World Without Name" © Wonder Stories, Mar 1931 Startling Stories, July 1939 --/ fourth place time sf story --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ rare find Real pulp blockbuster. Edwin K. Sloat certainly pulled the right strings in the right places, plotwise. He almost seemed to become a bright superstar of pulp fiction, bursting into the field - but unfortunately, not that many of his stories actually got published, so it's kind of a rarity. Contains time-gates, monsters - an overall swell adventure. review: 01-Jul-06 (read in 2004) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joan Slonczewski "A Door Into Ocean" (nv) © 1986, Ace Books --winner : 1987 Campbell Memorial W --novel : 1987 Prometheus --/ fourth place sf novel --/ wonder award Joan Slonczewski "Microbe" © Analog, Aug 1995 --/ cool sf story --/ idea award Joan Slonczewski "Tuberculosis Bacteria Join UN" © Nature Magazine, 2000 --short story : 2001 Locus Poll --/ cool sf story --/ idea award ---------------------------------------------- Dave Smeds "A Wife of Acorn, Leaf, and Rain" © Sirens, ed. E. Datlow, 1998 Embracing the Starlight, 2003 --/ cool f story --/ wonder award --/ style award New York businessman brings his beloved wife back from death, but the experience of living with this faery shape-changer ultimately makes it worse. Very poignant, and smoothly told tale. Has some soft imagery, and does not feel morbid, even though the subject is. review: 19-Jul-06 (read in 2006) ---------------------------------------------- Sergei Smirnoff "Zvetok V Dorozhnoy Sumke" © Teknika Molodezhi, 1982 --/ cool space sf story ---------------------------------------------- Carlton Smith "The Pumpkin Eater" © Planet Stories, Sum 1946 Run-of-the-mill "criminal on a spaceship" tale. A filler. review: 28-Jul-06 (read in 2002) ---------------------------------------------- Dean Wesley Smith "Flawless Execution" © The Clarion Awards, ed. D. Knight, 1984 --/ cool sf story Dean Wesley Smith "One Last Dance" © Writers of the Future # 1, 1985 --/ cool sf story Dean Wesley Smith "Tumbling Down The Nighttime" © Sisters Of The Night, ed. B. Hambly, 1995 --/ cool f story ---------------------------------------------- Evelyn E. Smith "The Last Of The Spode" © F&SF, Jun 1953 --/ cool sf story --/ humour award --/ emotion award --/ rare find Funny, with some nice fifties household "paranoia" overtones. Great afternoon mix. review: 04-Jul-06 (read in 2002) ---------------------------------------------- Evelyn E. Smith "Mr. Reprogle's Dream" © Fantastic Universe, Dec 1956 Evelyn E. Smith "The Vilbar Party" © Galaxy, Apr 1955 George H. Smith "The Last Days of L.A." © IF, Feb 1959 --/ cool sf story George H. Smith "The Night the TV Went Out" © Future Stories, Apr 1958 --/ cool sf story George H. Smith "The Outcasts" © Science Fiction Stories, Sep 1958 Iskatel, 1968 George H. Smith "Take Me To Your Leader" © Microcosmic Tales, ed. I. Asimov, 1980 --/ cool sf story --/ humour award George O. Smith "A Dog's Life" © Thrilling Wonder Stories, Apr 1948 George O. Smith "Highways In Hiding" © Imagination, May 1955 George O. Smith "Vocation" © Astounding, Apr 1945 Richard R. Smith "Alien Used Cars" © Universe 1, ed. R. Silverberg, 1990 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award Richard R. Smith (as by Damon Castle) "Starbright" (nv) © 1983, Leisure Books Ron Smith "Just Evie and Me" © Future Science Fiction, Apr 1958 Guy Snider "Lady Of Ice" © New Voices in SF # 2, ed. G. Martin, 1979 --new writer : 1974 Campbell --/ fourth place space sf novella --/ adventure award --/ emotion award --/ rare find Jerry Sohl "One Against Herculum" (nv) © Ace Double, 1959 William K. Sonnemann "The Master Minds of Venus" © Amazing Stories, Sep 1934 --/ rare find Kira Soshinskaya "Bedolaga" © Iskatel, 1971 Mir Iskatelya, 1973 Martha Soukup "Dress Rehearsal" © Universe # 16, 1986 Fresh Ink # 1, 1991 The Arbitrary Placement of Walls, 1997 Bud Sparhawk "High Flight" © Analog, Dec 1998 --/ cool space sf story --/ wonder award Bud Sparhawk "Iridium Dreams" © Analog, Apr 1994 --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award --/ awesome scale Craig Spector "Deadlines" (nv) © Twilight Zone, Dec 1988 book: 1988, NAL / Onyx --/ fourth place dark f novel --/ shock value Hugh Speer "Shawm Of The Stars" © Spicy Adventure Stories, Sep 1940 --/ cool sf story Paul Spencer "The Guardian Of The Vault" © Year's Best Fantasy 2, 1976 William Browning Spencer "Downloading Midnight" © Tomorrow, Dec 1995 --novella : 1996 Locus Poll --/ third place sf novella --/ wonder award --/ idea award --/ style award William Browning Spencer "The Halfway House At The Heart Of Darkness" © Lord Of The Fantastic, ed. M. Greenberg, 1998 --short story : 1999 Locus Poll Carter Sprague "Time Track" © Startling Stories, Jan 1951 --/ cool sf story --/ rare find ---------------------------------------------- Nancy Springer "The Boy Who Plaited Manes" © F&SF, Oct 1986 Chance & Oth. Gestures of the Hand of Fate, 1987 --short story : 1987 Hugo --short story : 1987 Nebula --short story : 1987 World Fantasy --short story : 1987 Locus /5 --/ cool f story --/ style award Nancy Springer belongs to the same school of quiet, lyrical family-friendly fantasy as Jane Yolen, Ursula Le Guin, Esther Friesner and Tanith Lee (only when she is in a good mood, of course). This story is modern literature's answer to a plethora of "horse/children interaction" movies, starting with Elizabeth Taylor's "National Velvet" and up to last year's "Dreamer". Something definitely magical attracts us to the belief some children put in their favourite animals. Perhaps it plays on our wish to trust our own friends with the same innocence and intensity. Nancy Springer has always been excellent in portraying horses and other animals, and in this enchanting story she does not disappoint. review: 21-Oct-06 (read in 2003) ---------------------------------------------- Sherwood Springer "Epitaph Near Moonport" © F&SF, Jan 1950 --/ humour award Sherwood Springer "The Quest of the Infidel" © Microcosmic Tales, ed. I. Asimov, 1980 Sherwood Springer "The Scorch on Wetzel's Hill" © IASFM, Spr 1977 --/ fourth place sf story --/ wonder award --/ style award --/ rare find Robert Stallman "The Captive" (nv) (Book of the Beast 2) © 1981, Timescape Books --fantasy novel : 1982 Locus /5 --/ cool f novel Arthur Stangland "Cube Sinister" © Amazing Stories, 1951 --/ cool sf story --/ rare find Arthur Stangland "Tomorrow's Shadow" © Fantastic Adventures, Aug 1952 --/ cool sf story --/ rare find Olaf Stapledon "A World Of Sound" © Hotch Potch, 1936 also in - Science Fiction Monthly, Nov 1974 Far Future Calling, 1979 --/ cool sf story Bill Starr "The People Who Couldn't Kill" © Stellar # 3, 1977 Christopher Stasheff "The Warlock Enraged" (nv) (Warlock series) © 1985, Ace Books --/ cool f novel Christopher Stasheff "The Warlock Unlocked" (nv) (Warlock series) © 1982, Ace Books --novel : 1983 Balrog Ellen Steiber "The Shape Of Things" © F&SF, Apr 2000 The Faery Reel, 2004 --/ cool f story --/ style award ---------------------------------------------- Ellen Steiber "In the Seasons Of Rains" © Sirens, ed. E. Datlow, 1998 The Faery Reel, 2004 --/ cool f novella "...shows what nasty fate lies waiting in the Arizona desert". This writer certainly has style and provides for generally pleasant, smooth reading. review: 19-Jul-06 (read in 2006) ---------------------------------------------- Robert Louis Stevenson "Treasure Island" (nv) © 1883 Current Publ., 1906 --/ adventure award --/ style award "Treasure Island...or Planet... or Universe" - take your pick! I include this book here as the example of an enchanting adventure in exotic setting, which may just as well have been set in outer space - as was recently proved by a marvelous Disney movie "Treasure Planet" (I quite like the poster for this movie, too, see below). The story itself is timeless, its plot endlessly fascinating. A Treasure Hunt against all odds, quickly moving through multitude of exotic environments, and facing many (mostly pirate) monsters. By the way, the "weird fantasy" sub-genre has always been fond of a pirate lifestyle and often made a good use of it (take, for example, the "Pirates of Caribbean" movies, which at times can even have the same effect as reading a good old issue of "Weird Tales", almost matching the visual intensity and inventiveness of the 1930s pulps). The 1906 year saw the first "pulp-style" edition of the "Treasure island" (in a popular "yellow-back" series format), quickly achieving legendary status and starting a flow of reprints... the flow that will only cease when Davy Jones himself would mutter "enough already" out of the murky depths. ---------------------------------------------- Ian Stewart "Billy the Kid" © Analog, Jan 1987 John E. Stith "Manhattan Transfer" (nv) © 1993, Ace Special --novel : 1994 HOMer --foreign novel : 1995 Seiun --/ fourth place sf novel --/ wonder award --/ adventure award --/ idea award --/ awesome scale John E. Stith "Naught Again" © 1995, Analog Henry St. Maur "Planet Of Peril" © Spicy Adventure Stories, Sep 1940 Leslie F. Stone "The Conquest of Gola" © Wonder Stories, Apr 1931 --Groff Conklin' story selection --/ cool sf story --/ wonder award Leslie F. Stone "The Human Pets" © Astounding Stories, 1935 Lowell Stone "The Soldier's Home Is Battle" © Imagination, Mar 1954 Kurt Storm "Below Absolute" © Fantastic Story, May 1953 --/ cool sf story --/ rare find Matthew Woodring Stover "Blade Of Tyshalle" (nv) (Heroes Die # 2) © 2001, Ballantine Del Rey Craig Strete "Your Cruel Face" © Computer Decisions, 1972 Microcosmic Tales, ed. I. Asimov, 1980 T. S. Stribling "The Green Splotches" © Adventure, Jan 1920 --/ cool sf novella Hiroe Suga "Freckled Figure" © 1992, Japan also in - Interzone, Mar 1999 --fiction : 2000 Interzone Poll /10 Tom Sullivan "The Case for Kosher Pasta" © 1982, F&SF --/ cool sf story --/ humour award Tim Sullivan "Special Education" © IASFM, Jan 1986 ---------------------------------------------- Tim Sullivan "Stop Motion" © IASFM, Aug 1986 --Asimov's Reader's Poll 1987, Short Story --/ cool sf story Animation, dinosaurs, special effects, a little bit of murder mystery - not bad a combination, solid story in the pulp tradition. review: 18-Jul-06 (read in 2004) ---------------------------------------------- Tim Sullivan "Zeke" © Twilight Zone, Oct 1981 --short story : 1982 Nebula Lucy Sussex "Matricide" © Sci Fiction, Feb 2005 --/ cool f story --/ idea award Lucy Sussex "The Queen of Erewhon" © F&SF, Sep 1999 --novelette : 2000 Locus /27 --fantasy short story : 2000 Aurealis --sf short story : 2000 Aurealis Thomas Burnett Swann "The Forest Of Forever" (nv) © 1971, Ace Books --novel : 1972 Locus /15 --fantasy : 1972 Mythopoeic --/ cool f novel --/ style award Thomas Burnett Swann "The Night Of The Unicorn" © 1975, Nameless Places, ed. A.Derleth --/ cool f story Logan Swanson "The Likeness of Julie" © Alone By Night, ed. M. & D. Congdon, 1962 --/ fourth place dark f story --/ emotion award --/ shock value --/ idea: hunter / victim --/ rare find -----------------------------------

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