Classic SF with Andy Johnson
@andyjohnson.xyz
Exploring classic science fiction, with a focus on the 1950s to the 1990s. Weekly articles and podcast at andyjohnson.xyz
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I have a book coming out and would really appreciate you spreading the word! MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG is published by Fonthill Media and out on 28 February. A complete, concise guide to every song from 1988 to 2025.
More info and preorder: www.andyjohnson.xyz/manicssongby...
More info and preorder: www.andyjohnson.xyz/manicssongby...
If you are able to nominate for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer, I'd be very happy if you considered me. Here's a roundup of everything I wrote about classic science fiction in 2025, including 37 essays on books published between 1937 and 2024.
Classic SF with Andy Johnson: the 2025 roundup
Every classic SF essay I published over the year, in once place.
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 18, 2026 at 11:20 PM
If you are able to nominate for the Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer, I'd be very happy if you considered me. Here's a roundup of everything I wrote about classic science fiction in 2025, including 37 essays on books published between 1937 and 2024.
A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959) by Walter M. Miller Jr. ✅ - an abbey in post-nuclear New Mexico works to preserve knowledge in the centuries after the "Flame Deluge". A powerful fixup justly seen as a classic.
February 18, 2026 at 12:19 AM
A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959) by Walter M. Miller Jr. ✅ - an abbey in post-nuclear New Mexico works to preserve knowledge in the centuries after the "Flame Deluge". A powerful fixup justly seen as a classic.
Reposted by Classic SF with Andy Johnson
Margaret St. Clair (1911 - 1995) was born on this day. Last summer, I read and wrote about her four Ace Double novels published between 1956 and 1964.
Four futures: The Ace Double novels of Margaret St. Clair (1956 - 1964)
Four short novels from a pioneering woman in SF
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 17, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Margaret St. Clair (1911 - 1995) was born on this day. Last summer, I read and wrote about her four Ace Double novels published between 1956 and 1964.
Margaret St. Clair (1911 - 1995) was born on this day. Last summer, I read and wrote about her four Ace Double novels published between 1956 and 1964.
Four futures: The Ace Double novels of Margaret St. Clair (1956 - 1964)
Four short novels from a pioneering woman in SF
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 17, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Margaret St. Clair (1911 - 1995) was born on this day. Last summer, I read and wrote about her four Ace Double novels published between 1956 and 1964.
The brilliant Iain M. Banks (1954 - 2013) was born on this day. I've now covered much of his Culture series, most recently Matter (2008).
Spheres within spheres: Matter (2008) by Iain M. Banks
Should the Culture intervene in the struggle for a shellworld?
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 16, 2026 at 8:37 PM
The brilliant Iain M. Banks (1954 - 2013) was born on this day. I've now covered much of his Culture series, most recently Matter (2008).
Reposted by Classic SF with Andy Johnson
Iain M. Banks (1954-2013) was born on this day. Bibliography: www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.c...
L, Keith Scaife, 1989; R, Mark Salwowski, 1993
#scifi #sciencefiction #books
L, Keith Scaife, 1989; R, Mark Salwowski, 1993
#scifi #sciencefiction #books
February 16, 2026 at 1:53 PM
Iain M. Banks (1954-2013) was born on this day. Bibliography: www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.c...
L, Keith Scaife, 1989; R, Mark Salwowski, 1993
#scifi #sciencefiction #books
L, Keith Scaife, 1989; R, Mark Salwowski, 1993
#scifi #sciencefiction #books
With a degree of reluctance I've joined Instagram recently, largely in a bid to promote The Book. If you are also enmeshed in the disaster for our species that is short-form video, you can follow me: instagram.com/andyjohnsonwriter
February 15, 2026 at 10:40 PM
With a degree of reluctance I've joined Instagram recently, largely in a bid to promote The Book. If you are also enmeshed in the disaster for our species that is short-form video, you can follow me: instagram.com/andyjohnsonwriter
Reposted by Classic SF with Andy Johnson
Now with podcast version available (episode 186).
This week's essay is up: continuing my look at Iain M. Banks' Culture novels with Matter (2008). Podcast version to follow shortly.
Spheres within spheres: Matter (2008) by Iain M. Banks
Should the Culture intervene in the struggle for a shellworld?
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 15, 2026 at 9:49 AM
Now with podcast version available (episode 186).
Now with podcast version available (episode 186).
This week's essay is up: continuing my look at Iain M. Banks' Culture novels with Matter (2008). Podcast version to follow shortly.
Spheres within spheres: Matter (2008) by Iain M. Banks
Should the Culture intervene in the struggle for a shellworld?
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 15, 2026 at 9:49 AM
Now with podcast version available (episode 186).
Just two weeks to go until MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG is out! More info and preorder options at andyjohnson.xyz/manics
February 14, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Just two weeks to go until MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG is out! More info and preorder options at andyjohnson.xyz/manics
Reposted by Classic SF with Andy Johnson
A new review - Hav by Jan Morris.
I covered it in brief in my round up of books from while I was away, but there was more to it than a brief overview could encompass (shock twist, Booker judges knew what they were on about), and plenty more I suspect I'm not even spotting.
I covered it in brief in my round up of books from while I was away, but there was more to it than a brief overview could encompass (shock twist, Booker judges knew what they were on about), and plenty more I suspect I'm not even spotting.
Hav – Jan Morris
Did I write a whole ass essay on genre for Strange Horizons? Perhaps. But that hasn’t stopped me thinking about it. And only more so since I read Hav by Jan Morris, for which any decisions I make a…
readerofelse.wordpress.com
February 14, 2026 at 12:20 PM
A new review - Hav by Jan Morris.
I covered it in brief in my round up of books from while I was away, but there was more to it than a brief overview could encompass (shock twist, Booker judges knew what they were on about), and plenty more I suspect I'm not even spotting.
I covered it in brief in my round up of books from while I was away, but there was more to it than a brief overview could encompass (shock twist, Booker judges knew what they were on about), and plenty more I suspect I'm not even spotting.
This week's essay is up: continuing my look at Iain M. Banks' Culture novels with Matter (2008). Podcast version to follow shortly.
Spheres within spheres: Matter (2008) by Iain M. Banks
Should the Culture intervene in the struggle for a shellworld?
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 12, 2026 at 8:16 PM
This week's essay is up: continuing my look at Iain M. Banks' Culture novels with Matter (2008). Podcast version to follow shortly.
For my first @official.entertainium.co article of the year, I've previewed the retro FPS Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!, which will come out, exclamation mark in tow, next month.
Preview: Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War! Will Make You Want To Know More – Entertainium
Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!, from the makers of Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, is not yet quite at that high level.
entertainium.co
February 11, 2026 at 7:12 PM
For my first @official.entertainium.co article of the year, I've previewed the retro FPS Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War!, which will come out, exclamation mark in tow, next month.
Reposted by Classic SF with Andy Johnson
ICYMI, this week's essay is about Ice and Iron (1974), a late and little-known novel by Wilson Tucker - the writer, critic and fan who coined the term "space opera".
The big freeze: Ice and Iron (1974) by Wilson Tucker
Confronting a time mystery as a new ice age looms
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 6, 2026 at 9:00 PM
ICYMI, this week's essay is about Ice and Iron (1974), a late and little-known novel by Wilson Tucker - the writer, critic and fan who coined the term "space opera".
On this day in 1992, Manic Street Preachers released their debut album Generation Terrorists. In MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG, read my assessment of "one of the most spectacularly over-ambitious debut albums ever made." More info and preorders at andyjohnson.xyz/manics
February 10, 2026 at 10:13 PM
On this day in 1992, Manic Street Preachers released their debut album Generation Terrorists. In MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG, read my assessment of "one of the most spectacularly over-ambitious debut albums ever made." More info and preorders at andyjohnson.xyz/manics
Reposted by Classic SF with Andy Johnson
Secured some local print coverage for the book this week ✅ If you know of any kind of publication which would cover or talk to me about #manicstreetpreachers Song by Song, I'd be very interested to know!
I have a book coming out and would really appreciate you spreading the word! MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG is published by Fonthill Media and out on 28 February. A complete, concise guide to every song from 1988 to 2025.
More info and preorder: www.andyjohnson.xyz/manicssongby...
More info and preorder: www.andyjohnson.xyz/manicssongby...
February 9, 2026 at 7:49 PM
Secured some local print coverage for the book this week ✅ If you know of any kind of publication which would cover or talk to me about #manicstreetpreachers Song by Song, I'd be very interested to know!
Secured some local print coverage for the book this week ✅ If you know of any kind of publication which would cover or talk to me about #manicstreetpreachers Song by Song, I'd be very interested to know!
I have a book coming out and would really appreciate you spreading the word! MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG is published by Fonthill Media and out on 28 February. A complete, concise guide to every song from 1988 to 2025.
More info and preorder: www.andyjohnson.xyz/manicssongby...
More info and preorder: www.andyjohnson.xyz/manicssongby...
February 9, 2026 at 7:49 PM
Secured some local print coverage for the book this week ✅ If you know of any kind of publication which would cover or talk to me about #manicstreetpreachers Song by Song, I'd be very interested to know!
Arch-conspirator (2023) by Veronica Roth ✅ - Sophocles' play Antigone in very thin science fictional clothes. Solidly delivered, but made little impact on me.
February 8, 2026 at 10:16 PM
Arch-conspirator (2023) by Veronica Roth ✅ - Sophocles' play Antigone in very thin science fictional clothes. Solidly delivered, but made little impact on me.
Reposted by Classic SF with Andy Johnson
Nearly 70,000 words, over 300 songs covered, 15 album essays - and only 3 weeks until MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG is out. More info and preorder links at andyjohnson.xyz/manics
February 7, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Nearly 70,000 words, over 300 songs covered, 15 album essays - and only 3 weeks until MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG is out. More info and preorder links at andyjohnson.xyz/manics
I've always felt that the A-format paperback is the ultimate delivery system for science fiction. B-format, which has long since supplanted it in the UK, is so unwieldy by comparison.
The mass market paperback, light in the hand and on the wallet, once filled airport bookstores and supermarket media aisles. You may never buy a new one again.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/b...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/b...
So Long to Cheap Books You Could Fit in Your Pocket
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 2:54 PM
I've always felt that the A-format paperback is the ultimate delivery system for science fiction. B-format, which has long since supplanted it in the UK, is so unwieldy by comparison.
Nearly 70,000 words, over 300 songs covered, 15 album essays - and only 3 weeks until MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG is out. More info and preorder links at andyjohnson.xyz/manics
February 7, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Nearly 70,000 words, over 300 songs covered, 15 album essays - and only 3 weeks until MANIC STREET PREACHERS: SONG BY SONG is out. More info and preorder links at andyjohnson.xyz/manics
ICYMI, this week's essay is about Ice and Iron (1974), a late and little-known novel by Wilson Tucker - the writer, critic and fan who coined the term "space opera".
The big freeze: Ice and Iron (1974) by Wilson Tucker
Confronting a time mystery as a new ice age looms
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 6, 2026 at 9:00 PM
ICYMI, this week's essay is about Ice and Iron (1974), a late and little-known novel by Wilson Tucker - the writer, critic and fan who coined the term "space opera".
One SF acquisition today: New Model Army (2010) by Adam Roberts. Now up to four of his without yet having read any...
February 6, 2026 at 6:46 PM
One SF acquisition today: New Model Army (2010) by Adam Roberts. Now up to four of his without yet having read any...
Reposted by Classic SF with Andy Johnson
In a change to the scheduled programming, this week's essay and podcast ep are on Ice and Iron (1974) by Wilson Tucker. Why are bricks and corpses falling from the sky as a new ice age looms?
The big freeze: Ice and Iron (1974) by Wilson Tucker
Confronting a time mystery as a new ice age looms
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 5, 2026 at 7:33 PM
In a change to the scheduled programming, this week's essay and podcast ep are on Ice and Iron (1974) by Wilson Tucker. Why are bricks and corpses falling from the sky as a new ice age looms?
In a change to the scheduled programming, this week's essay and podcast ep are on Ice and Iron (1974) by Wilson Tucker. Why are bricks and corpses falling from the sky as a new ice age looms?
The big freeze: Ice and Iron (1974) by Wilson Tucker
Confronting a time mystery as a new ice age looms
www.andyjohnson.xyz
February 5, 2026 at 7:33 PM
In a change to the scheduled programming, this week's essay and podcast ep are on Ice and Iron (1974) by Wilson Tucker. Why are bricks and corpses falling from the sky as a new ice age looms?