Flame Tree Fiction

Philip K. Dick’s (1928–82) wildly manic style of science fiction, reflecting the deeply troubled, drug addicted author, has influenced and informed generation after generation of sci fi writers. Film adaptations of his work seem always to be in production; with great directors including Ridley Scott, Paul Verhoeven and Steven Spielberg as only the most notable to adapt Dick’s novels. One novel which has so far remained untouched by the film industry is his The Man in the High Castle. 

It is truly a great loss to the sci fi fandom that sf writer Frederik Pohl, author of such classics as Gateway and The Space Merchants, has died. He was prolifically involved in the genre during an impressive career that spanned over seven decades!

The Time Machine is a timeless classic of sf fiction. Whether it drives at 88 miles per hour or is bigger on the outside than the inside, the time machine has remained a steadfast pillar of science fiction. One wonders if H.G. Wells (1866–1946) knew that this would be the case when he first thought up the concept for his novel The Time Machine. Perhaps he simply wanted to tell the most fantastic story that he could, and in that regard he was completely successful. Wells’ The Time Machine stands not only as one of the original time machine stories, but also one of the best.

The film season Gothic: The Dark Heart of Film kicked off recently, including amongst its first screenings, Dracula (1958) – an absolute classic! You can't go wrong with a film based on one of the most famous gothic horror novels of all time, and actually Christopher Lee doesn't hurt either.