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Reviews by richardshagrin
About richardshagrin:
Older (71) male. Long time Science Fiction Fan, but not a fanatic. I went to a World Science Fiction Convention in Heidelberg, Germany in 1970 and met John W Campbell, Jr. He wasn't impressed with me, a Signal Corps First Lieutenant, although I was popular at some of the nightly parties. I brought my class six rations (alcoholic beverages) in large bottles. There is a song, sort of. "I don't care about war between nations, long as I got my class six rations, on the dashboard of my car." The original of the song talks about not caring if it rains or freezes, as long as I got my plastic Jesus.

Poul Anderson and his wife and daughter were there. The daughter was about 15 at the time, and the mother asked all the guys my age (mid 20s) and some younger not to tempt the daughter. Memory is a funny thing, I haven't thought about Heicon in over 40 years. I don't even know if it proves I am a fan. I liked the hard science fiction stories of grand masters like RAH, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke.

I met Asimov at a Convention in New York. I hope I am not insulting anyone living by saying he appeared to my wife and I to be a dirty old man. Authors are people, as are we all, not that I am an author.

I have a lot of old Astounding Science Fiction and Galaxy and some F&SF magazines. One of these days I am going to re-read them. Meanwhile I am going to look at all the (currently 21) stories on the site with an ambition of picking out some to recommend to readers here. Hopefully a lot more will be added. I am pretty sure I won't be recommending all of them, although if it is Science Fiction it can't be that bad. But as it says in 1984, some pigs are more equal than others. I hope your tastes agree with mine. If not, perhaps my recommendation might suggest what to avoid?
  Story Title Author Name Review Date P Q A
The Contagion Ernest Bywater 8 8 6
P: Plot | Q: Technical Qualities | A: Appeal to Reviewer
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