Alex R. Howe
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My blog of science, science fiction, and more.
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Category Archives: Story Analysis
Essay: Harry Potter Theory: Wizards vs. Muggles: Who Would Win?
(That may be a personal record for most colons in one title.) With the release of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore this week, I though I would answer the age-old question in the Harry Potter universe: who would win in a fight between … Continue reading
Posted in Essays, Story Analysis
Tagged Fantastic Beasts, Harry Potter, Secrets of Dumbledore, Wizards vs. Muggles
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How Bad Would the Greenhouse Effect in The Calculating Stars Really Be?
In Mary Robinette Kowal’s The Calculating Stars, a meteor hits the east coast of the United States in the 1950s, obliterating Washington DC and causing global climate catastrophe. Mathematical genius and future Lady Astronaut Elma York calculates that the climate … Continue reading
Ringworld Theory: Did Teela Brown Have Bad Luck?
In Larry Niven’s Ringworld, the alien Puppeteers have secretly been selectively breeding humans for being lucky, which they believe (correctly) is actually a psychic probability manipulation ability. (This seems a little weird because natural selection already involves a lot of … Continue reading
Posted in Science Fiction, Story Analysis
Tagged Larry Niven, Ringworld, Teela Brown, Theory
2 Comments
The Science of Project Hail Mary
Andy Weir’s latest book, Project Hail Mary, is a very good hard science fiction tale about a journey to another solar system in search of a way to save Earth from disaster. Mr. Weir always does mostly pretty good science … Continue reading
Posted in Physics, Science Fiction, Story Analysis
Tagged andy weir, Planetary Atmospheres, Project Hail Mary, Relativity, Rocket Equation
5 Comments
The Handmaid’s Tale as a Different Kind of Dystopia
The Handmaid’s Tale is the famous dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood in which a radical theocratic regime has taken over America, brutally oppressing everyone who isn’t a Reconstructionist “Christian,” but particularly focusing on women. Since the book was released, and … Continue reading
Posted in Literature, Story Analysis
Tagged Dystopian literature, Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale
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Essay: Harry Potter Theory: What Was Dumbledore’s Actual Plan?
The Harry Potter series is one of the most beloved stories of this generation, but it’s not without its flaws. J. K. Rowling is a very good storyteller, but not a very good world-builder, and the closer you look at … Continue reading
What Should Happen in Star Wars Episode IX?
Well, the first teaser trailer has dropped for Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. I can react a little to the trailer itself, but we don’t really know much yet. (That’s kind of the point of a teaser.) … Continue reading
Posted in Science Fiction, Story Analysis
Tagged fan theories, Heir to the Empire, Star Wars, The Rise of Skywalker
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Could Mortal Engines’ Municipal Darwinism Work?
In Mortal Engines, based on the book series by Philip Reeve, in a post-apocalyptic wasteland ravaged by nuclear war, the surviving settlements have become “traction cities,” putting themselves on wheels to roam what was once Eurasia (an area known in … Continue reading
Posted in Science, Science Fiction, Story Analysis
Tagged food chain, Mortal Engines, Municipal Darwinism, trophic levels
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Who is Credence Barebone?
Warning: MAJOR spoilers for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald below. This is my take on breaking down the big end-of-the-movie reveal, so if you haven’t seen it, click away now.
Posted in Fiction, Predictions, Story Analysis
Tagged Credence, Dumbledore, Fantastic Beasts, Grindelwald, Theory
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Science Meets Fiction 