Author Archives: Alex R. Howe

About Alex R. Howe

I'm a full-time astrophysicist and a part-time science fiction writer.

#11 – John W. Campbell and the Golden Age of Sci-Fi

Posted on August 31, 2020

John W. Campbell was the controversial longtime editor of Astounding Science Fiction who single-handedly directed the course of science fiction in the 1940s, a time that is not called the “golden age of sci-fi.” However, I argue the golden age … Continue reading →

Posted in A Reader's History of Science Fiction, Science Fiction

Essay: The Real Problem with “The Cold Equations”

Posted on August 30, 2020

As part of tomorrow’s episode of A Reader’s History of Science Fiction, I felt the need to write a companion essay analyzing one of the most famous (or perhaps infamous) short stories in the history of the genre: “The Cold … Continue reading →

Posted in Physics, Science Fiction, Uncategorized | Tagged , ,

Book Review: Delta-v by Daniel Suarez

Posted on August 25, 2020

Delta-v by Daniel Suarez is a new novel about the exploration of our Solar System. It’s been a popular topic in recent years, but Suarez does put a unique spin on it. This is the first sci-fi story I’ve seen … Continue reading →

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New Video: MegaFavNumbers

Posted on August 21, 2020

Yesterday, a bunch of Math (or Maths) YouTubers like Numberphile, 3Blue1Brown, and many others started the #MegaFavNumbers project, where mathematicians talk about their favorite numbers that are larger than 1,000,000. Well, I’m not a mathematician by trade, but I do … Continue reading →

Posted in math, Video | Tagged , , , ,

#10 – Stapledon and Lewis

Posted on August 17, 2020

Olaf Stapledon and C. S. Lewis both explored the spiritual side of science fiction, albeit in very different ways. In this episode, we explore how they went about it and why one of them is considered a must read by … Continue reading →

Posted in A Reader's History of Science Fiction, Science Fiction

Book Review: Junction by Daniel M. Bensen

Posted on August 11, 2020

This one might need a bit of background. Lately, I’ve been getting interested in something called speculative evolution, which is a branch of science fiction about how life might evolve on other planets—or in the future, or in Earth’s past, … Continue reading →

Posted in Book reviews | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

#9 – The Dystopia Classic

Posted on August 3, 2020

Dystopian fiction has become a popular subgenre of sci-fi in its own right, but the earliest dystopian novels shared some unique elements in common, inverting the standard tropes of the hero’s journey. In this episode, we explore what has made … Continue reading →

Posted in A Reader's History of Science Fiction, Science Fiction

The Mars Perseverance Launch Is Tomorrow

Posted on July 29, 2020

Space news of the day: NASA’s Perseverance rover (formerly Mars 2020) will launch at 7:50 am EDT tomorrow morning on its mission to Mars. (It was originally supposed to be July 17, but it was delayed due to equipment problems.) … Continue reading →

Posted in Current events, Space exploration, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

#8 – The Dawn of Cinema

Posted on July 20, 2020

At the same time science fiction came into its own as a genre, cinema was doing the same. Here, we see an overview of the most notable sci-fi films of the silent and pre-Code eras, and how they influenced the … Continue reading →

Posted in A Reader's History of Science Fiction, Science Fiction | 2 Comments

Book Review: A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green

Posted on July 15, 2020

I’ve previously reviewed An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green, a science educator and YouTube host alongside his brother, John (author of The Fault in our Stars). Hank’s debut novel featured a visit by an enigmatic alien robot named Carl, … Continue reading →

Posted in Book reviews, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment