Two Authors Talking Science Fiction and Fantatsy

Walton, Jo, and Ada Palmer.  Trace Elements: Conversations on the Project of Science Fiction and 

         Fantasy.  New York: Tor Publishing, 2026.  ISBN: 9781250372604

 

Take two award winning authors who are friends and turn them loose on the broad definition of science fiction and fantasy (SF&F).  What comes out is Trace Elements - a compilation of previously published and newly written essays, genre reflections, poems, and biography that lets the reader peek behind the curtain and watch a bit of sausage-making.

 

Jo and Ada divided Trace Elements into three sections.  Section 1: Genre, Or the Modern Proteus has thirteen essays and poems dealing with the contract between the author and reader,  the history of science fiction, definitions, why science fiction or fantasy might pretend to be the other genre, plus the role of robots, and the interaction of SF&F with romance, manga/anime, and mysteries.  

 

Section 2: Anyone Who Says Differently is Selling Something provides the reader a glimpse into how each author works and how they became the author that they are over the course of five essays.  

 

Section 3: Craft contains twelve essays and poems on the purpose of writing science fiction and/or fantasy, why reading, the necessity of diversity in protagonists, the issue of censorship and writing around it, and a very interesting look at The Princess Bride (both the book and the movie). 

 

So if you are looking for different approaches to science fiction/fantasy or you just enjoy reading well crafted essays on a variety of topics, do pick up this volume and delve into it yourself.  Your time will be well spent! 

Uncovering Hitler's New Friends and Fellow Travelers!

Mathias, Christopher.  To Catch a Fascist: The Fight to Expose the Radical Right.  New York: 

         Atria Books, 2026.  ISBN:  9781668034767

 

So how much do you know about various radical organizations in the United States?  You might have heard of the Proud Boys, or Aryan Nation.  Maybe the Ku Klux Klan or one of the host of white supremacist groups sprouting up like dandelions across America.  But how much do you know of the myriad groups that have sprung up in opposition to these radical right-wing mobs?  If you want to know more, then To Catch a Fascist is the book for you.

 

Christopher Mathias opens the book with his introduction to this conflict - the "Unite the Right" rally of 8/12/2017.   He lays out his experience that day and how that lead him to spend the next several year exploring and learning about the modern anti-fascists who courageously seek to lay bare the plans of a host of radical organizations and the people behind the masks.  He spends a decent amount of the book relating the tale of "Vincent" who infiltrated a West Coast white supremacist group.  Vincent managed to thwart a number of actions they were trying to take on the west coast and gathered information to identify the individuals in this local group.  He also managed to go from this group to a national group and was able to relay information on a Washington march to other anti-fascists that caused that march to be a bust that blew up and exposed a number of members to the public.  Besides Vincent,  Mathias also took the time and space to briefly discuss the history of anti-fascist and anti-white supremacy actions across American history while focusing on recent events.  

 

If you are looking for an exciting non-fiction read, Christopher Mathias's To Catch a Fascist will give you that!   

 

We Were There the Whole Time!

Stohl, Margaret, Jeanine Schaefer, & Judith Stephens.  Supe Visible: The Story of the Women of 

       Marvel Comics.  New York: Simon & Schuster, 2025.  ISBN: 9781982134617

Everyone knows (or at least has heard of) Marvel Comics!  Spider-Man, Captain America, The X-Men, She-Hulk, Black Widow, and The Mighty Avengers, right!? And of course Stan Lee!  But how much do you know of the writers, the colorists, the letters, the cover designers?  Pulling back part of the curtain on those unsung workers is what Super Visible does.

 

As the authors are quick to show, women were on scene and working at Marvel back in the 1960's and before.  Stan Lee would not have been able to function without Flo Stanberg among unnamed other women who inked the comics, did lettering, drew the art, and the like. And over the years as Marvel grew in size, so has the number of women involved and  so has has their impact on Marvel comics and the broader pop culture.   Super Visible is an outgrowth of the podcasts and panels that talk about the role of women in the Marvel Comic Universe - comics, books, movies, and television.  As they state at the beginning of the book, this is an examination of the role of women in the history of Marvel Comics told by the women in the room.  So there is straightforward narrative sections intermingled with oral history interviews.  Plus plenty of visual elements to highlight those present and bring the reader inside.

 

Super Visible provides a side of comic book history not often discussed with the story of women in comics being front and center.  If you want to explore Marvel Comics's full history, you will want to peruse this title!