books

Tales Of The Self-Indulgent: Manfac by Martin Caidin
originally posted: 2007-01-20 12:45:19

Martin Caidin was a prolific author of science-fiction novels and serious military history. He is probably most famous for his 1972 novel Cyborg, which was adapted into a TV movie and series: The Six-Million Dollar Man starring Lee Majors. Cyborg was the story of an ex-astronaut test pilot named Steve Austin. Austin was taking off in a new experimental aircraft when it suffered catestrophic equipment failure—an accident that leaves him alive but mutilated. ...

Continue reading Tales Of The Self-Indulgent: Manfac by Martin Caidin


Tales Of The Self-Indulgent: Earthweb by Marc Stiegler
originally posted: 2007-01-20 12:14:41

Make no mistake: I'm a big fan of Marc Stiegler's writing. He's a real-life technologist, having worked as a manager at Autodesk (on Project Xanadu no less); these days he works as a researcher at HP, on subjects like capability-based computer security. As such, the technology featured in his stories has a decidedly realistic feel. He's published two sci-fic novels and a short story collection, and I own and enjoy all three.

Stiegler's first book, 1988's David's Sling, is one of...

Continue reading Tales Of The Self-Indulgent: Earthweb by Marc Stiegler


Tales Of The Self-Indulgent: The American Zone by L. Neil Smith
originally posted: 2006-12-08 01:22:07

It's time for another new feature here at Momentary Fascinations, what I'm calling "Tales Of The Self-Indulgent".

I like fiction. It carries you away from the worries of your world, aloft on fanciful tales of other people's lives. A momentary respite from the worries of the day. That is why I find it so thoroughly off-putting when an author throws in self-indulgent passages. It's like a deluge of cold water, snapping me out of the trance, slapping me in the face saying "Hey! ...

Continue reading Tales Of The Self-Indulgent: The American Zone by L. Neil Smith

About Momentary Fascinations

RSS

Recent Fascinations

A Eulogy For Bob Bailey

A Quick 2017 Survey Of Rolling Linux Distributions

An Adventure In Buying Home Audio Speakers

The 2014 Lenovo X1 Carbon: Lenovo Giveth, And Lenovo Taketh Away

All Essays

Years

2017

2014

2013

2011

2010

2007

2006

2005

Tags

books

entertainment

eulogies

game jones

general

meta

music

politics

programming

repeat-1 song of the day

tales of the self-indulgent

technology

trampled liberties

video games

Momentary Fascinations is Copyright 2005-2020 Larry Hastings.