MULTIDIMENSIONAL
GUIDE TO SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY –
A comprehensive collection of reviews of science fiction and
fantasy works, including ratings of more than 7000 novels, anthologies,
and stories, listed alphabetically by author. The entire three
volumes also include short excerpts from reviews by notable
sci-fi authors and reviewers, including James Blish, Anthony
Boucher, Algis Budrys, Orson Scott Card, Avram Davidson, Charles
de Lint, Lester Del Rey, Tom Easton, Harlan Ellison, Fritz Leiber,
Judith Merril, P. Schuyler Miller, Spider Robinson, Joanna Russ,
Baird Searles, Robert Silverberg, Norman Spinrad, George Zebrowski,
and many others. An abridged version of volume 1 is presented
on this website, with the complete version available for purchase.
Volumes 2 and 3 will be available for purchase in 2011.
- Volume
1 (authors A-F)
- Volume
2
- Volume
3
MOVIE
GUIDES – Short plot summaries and reviews of the
best 130 western movies of all time. Includes well-know files
like Conagher (1991) and True Grit
(1969) and High Noon (1942), as well as lesser
know classics such as Grey Owl (2000). The
Naked Prey (1966), The Windmill (1944),
and Westward the Women (1951). Also summaries
and reviews of the best 130 science fiction movies of all time.
Includes well-known sci-fi films like Avatar
(2009) and Aliens (1986), as well as lesser
know classics such as George Lucas in Love
(2000), Wing Commander (1999), Retroactive
(1997) and Panic in Year Zero (1962).
ORIGINAL
MUSICAL COMPOSITIONS – I began composing in 1974 after
taking a Jazz appreciation class at Princeton University. You’ll
find several of the “blues” pieces I wrote at that
time on this website, however my favorite musical works were
written two decades later while I was working as a geophysicist.
Seven short pieces are collected as Machineries
of Joy, a title first used by author Ray Bradbury for
one of his evocative collections of short stories. Another nine
compositions are gathered in the Hidden
Trails Suite.
MUSICAL
PERFORMANCES – Also offered on this website are a
selection of folk
and classical
songs. My tastes range from traditional ballads (Annie Laurie,
Loch Lomond, Turkey in the Straw, etc.), to ensemble and solo
classical works by Beethoven, Schubert, Mozart, Brahms, Poulenc,
Rachmaninoff, Kabelevsky and others, to the music of Kurt Weill
(Threepenny Opera), to jazz and R&B music
ARTICLES
– A series of longer essays on topics ranging from science
fiction to science and music.
STORIES
– Tales about battling gods, primitive cave men, possessed
seismic drillers, emigrant time travelers, mushrooms amok, and
many other topics.
JOURNAL
& POEMS – 95% of the poems I ever wrote
emerged during a challenging two year stretch in the early 1980s.
I’ll post a few now and add more later.
NAT’S
BLOG – Includes short essays and grumblings on whatever
tickles my fancy.
Recent
Postings:
4) Tolkien & the Grimm Brothers
3) SF Cover Art
2) Amazon.com ratings
1) Intelligent Designers
PHOTOGRAPHS
– Most
of the photographs on this website were taken by my good friend,
Scott D. Adams. A fellow earth scientist and master guitar builder
and musician living in Salida, Colorado, Scott has an eye for
dramatic and unusual detail. I’ll include a link to his
website as soon as it’s available.
