Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge
Welcome to the Vintage Science Fiction not-a-challenge! Through out the month of January, 2012, 2013 I will be reading and discussing as much “older than I am” science fiction and fantasy that I can, and everyone is invited to join me! We’ll be talking about time travel, laser guns, early robotics, first contact, swords and sorcery, predictions for humanity and the authors who came up with it all. Haphazardly, the defining year for “vintage” is 1979. Read all about it here, here, and here and most recently here. The only “rule” for this not-a-challenge is that your blog post must be during the month of January.
You too, can be on red alert for the Interstellar Patrol by using the badge above in your posts, or blog side bar, or wherever you’d like.
Reviewing or discussing a vintage SF/F book during the month of January? Leave the title, author and a link to your blog post in the comments below. on Twitter? use #VintageSciFi .
If you get to the end of January and you still need more, head on over to Stainless Steel Droppings to join the 2013 Science Fiction Experience.
106 Responses to "Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge"
January 2, 2012 at 8:22 pm
Now that the holidays are over, I’m posting a bunch of early Hugo Award winners. I read this a couple months back, but that’s usually how long it takes me to post my reviews…
The Demolished Man, by Alfred Bester, 1953 http://bluefairysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2012/01/demolished-man.html
Highlights: Early versions of psychic cops and use of telepathic powers. (Where did you think the name of the Babylon 5 character came from?)
January 3, 2012 at 1:22 am
I’ve posted a few initial thoughts on The Day of The Triffids by John Wyndham.
http://pekinghomunculus.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/the-day-of-the-triffids-an-introduction/
January 27, 2012 at 11:03 am
It took me way to long to read this short novel, but it is finally finished. The full review is here: http://pekinghomunculus.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-day-of-the-triffids/
January 3, 2012 at 4:42 pm
Here’s our Ye Olde Book Club selections for January, 1918-1939 Sci-Fi:
http://darkcargo.com/2012/01/01/ye-olde-booke-club-january/
January 3, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Hm. 1979. The year I was born. Not sure if that makes me vintage or not.
Here’s my first review, ‘Beyond this Horizon’, by Robert A Heinlein.
http://snakeoilreview.wordpress.com/2012/01/03/robert-a-heinlein-beyond-this-horizon/
January 5, 2012 at 1:16 pm
My first vintage review, The Time Machine by H.G. Wells: http://beyondthebrush.blogspot.com/2012/01/time-machine.html
January 7, 2012 at 7:41 am
[...] Here’s one more last-minute blog event. During January, Andrea at The Little Red Reviewer is hosting the Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge. [...]
January 8, 2012 at 7:34 am
[...] and the Speculative Fiction Challenge 2012 hosted by Baffled Books. It also counts toward the Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge hosted by The Little Red Reviewer. Advertisement GA_googleAddAttr("AdOpt", "1"); [...]
[...] finished reading A Journey to the Centre of the Earth which I have read as part of the Little Red Reviewer’s Vintage Sci Fi (not a challenge). I don’t suppose this story needs much introduction really. In a [...]
January 8, 2012 at 8:04 am
Well, this isn’t from 79 I’m afraid. Hope still okay. My thoughts on A Journey to the Centre of the Earth:
http://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2012/01/08/a-journey-to-the-centre-of-the-earth-by-jules-verne/
Not chosen my next one yet!
Lynn 
January 10, 2012 at 4:19 am
My latest for Vintage Month, the collection Orbit 7:
http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/orbit-7-edited-by-damon-knight
January 10, 2012 at 7:04 am
[...] for both the The 2012 Science Fiction Experience hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings and the Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge from The Little Red Reviewer. Oh, and let’s not forget the Speculative Fiction Challenge [...]
January 10, 2012 at 9:38 am
Here’s my latest:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/nightwings-by-robert-silverberg/
Review of “Nightwings,” by Robert Silverberg
January 10, 2012 at 9:24 pm
Another week, another Hugo Winner. This book is often held to be the “Worst book to win the Hugo”:
They’d Rather Be Right, by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley, 1954
http://bluefairysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2012/01/theyd-rather-be-right.html
January 12, 2012 at 5:05 pm
Just posted a review of Enterprise: Stardust by K. H. Scheer(http://sciencefictiontimes.blogspot.com/2012/01/enterprise-stardust-by-k-h-scheer.html)
January 13, 2012 at 11:14 am
My latest, and it does seem to be popular this month as well, ‘The Time Machine’, by H.G. Wells:
http://snakeoilreview.wordpress.com/2012/01/13/h-g-wells-the-time-machine/
January 14, 2012 at 6:57 pm
Hello
Just wanted to add my latest, Positronic Man – which I loved!
Lynn
http://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2012/01/14/the-positronic-man-by-isaac-asimov/
January 15, 2012 at 1:42 pm
[...] For January’s YOBC, I selected several science fiction pieces from between World War I and World War II to participate with LittleRedReviewer’s Vintage Sci-Fi month. [...]
January 15, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Have you listened to Orson Welles’ radio dramatization of H. G. Wells’ War of the Worlds? Fascinating!
http://darkcargo.com/2012/01/15/welles-wells-war-of-the-worlds-radio-drama/
January 15, 2012 at 3:11 pm
[...] was for last September’s YOBC but I didn’t get to it until this January, and since LittleRed is doing her Vintage Sci-Fi month I thought the mention now would be [...]
January 15, 2012 at 7:54 pm
[...] was looking for stuff from our Vintage Sci-Fi period of between the world wars, and found some interesting things, and interesting omissions. [...]
January 16, 2012 at 1:29 am
Part 2 of my discussion of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation is now up, another one down for the Vintage SF Month. 
http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/foundation-group-read-the-conclusion
January 16, 2012 at 10:55 pm
My post for Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is up: http://storiesgeek.wordpress.com/2012/01/16/fahrenheit-451/
January 17, 2012 at 1:05 am
Just put up my review of Robert Silverberg’s Pulp SF novella collection, Hunt the Space-Witch! Deliciously entertaining.
http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/hunt-the-space-witch-robert-silverberg
January 18, 2012 at 8:29 am
Just posted my review of H.G. Wells’ collected short stories. This kept me busy for a while!
http://snakeoilreview.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/h-g-wells-the-complete-short-stories/
January 19, 2012 at 4:27 pm
Here is my first review for the challenge this month, my thoughts on Watership Down: http://alsgeekbanter.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-review-watership-down.html
January 19, 2012 at 5:35 pm
Oops, forgot to post my Hugo Winner from earlier this week!
Double Star, by Robert A. Heinlein, 1956
An actor is press-ganged into interstellar politics; I really liked this one!
http://bluefairysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2012/01/double-star.html
January 20, 2012 at 3:04 pm
[...] reading several pre-WWII scifi/fantasy classics this month, check out Vintage SciFi Month, I have noticed several things. There is a strong sense of the fantastic, and of the fact that [...]
January 21, 2012 at 11:02 am
[...] and the Speculative Fiction Challenge 2012, hosted by Baffled Books. It also counts toward the Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge, hosted by The Little Red Reviewer. Share [...]
January 21, 2012 at 11:48 am
Another one, this time it’s Arthur C. Clarke’s ‘Against the Fall of Night’.
http://snakeoilreview.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/arthur-c-clarke-against-the-fall-of-night/
January 22, 2012 at 11:48 am
Two in a row! Philip K. Dick’s ‘Vulcan’s Hammer’
http://snakeoilreview.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/philip-k-dick-vulcans-hammer/
January 22, 2012 at 5:23 pm
I reviewed “The War of the Worlds” by H. G. Wells:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/the-war-of-the-worlds-by-h-g-wells/
January 23, 2012 at 9:44 am
Woo! I’m on a roll!
4th book to win the Hugo Award: ‘The Big Time’ by Fritz Leiber
Short, but had fantastic prose. It’s a small, personal story about mistrust and human nature, except the characters are all part of a Time War, and are drawn from across human history. Plus there’s aliens.
http://bluefairysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2012/01/big-time.html
January 23, 2012 at 3:28 pm
[...] 2012 Science Fiction Experience hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings. It also counts toward the Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge from The Little Red Reviewer and the Speculative Fiction Challenge hosted by Baffled Books. I am [...]
January 23, 2012 at 10:00 pm
Something that has been missing from science fiction is the old pulp round robin story. My comments can be found (http://sciencefictiontimes.blogspot.com/2012/01/story-with-18-writers.html.
January 26, 2012 at 9:30 am
[...] book counts toward The 2012 Science Fiction Experience hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings, the Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge from The Little Red Reviewer and the Speculative Fiction Challenge hosted by Baffled Books. [...]
[...] reading The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin, and yay, just in time to get one more in for the Vintage Science Fiction month (January) as well as The 2012 Science Fiction Experience (through February). And also one [...]
January 27, 2012 at 1:08 pm
One last one, The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin: http://storiesgeek.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/the-dispossessed/ Thanks for a great month!
January 27, 2012 at 6:02 pm
My second review for the challenge, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams:
http://alsgeekbanter.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-review-hitchhikers-guide-to-galaxy.html
January 29, 2012 at 10:00 am
My first discussion post for Foundation and Empire is up now:
http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/foundation-and-empire-group-read-part-1
January 31, 2012 at 8:15 am
One more Hugo winner to close out the month:
A Case of Conscience, by James Blish, from 1958
http://bluefairysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2012/01/case-of-conscience.html
March 18, 2012 at 11:36 am
[...] I was really excited about LittleRedReviewer’s Vintage Sci-Fi Month. Here’s an opportunity to get through some of the building blocks of Sci-Fi and to be able to [...]
August 7, 2012 at 2:21 pm
[...] January, I participated in Vintage Sci-Fi Month, hosted by The Little Red Reviewer. I hadn’t read much older sci-fi before, and this event served as a great introduction! I [...]
[...] You can see the details by following this link. [...]
December 26, 2012 at 10:24 pm
Nice! I’ve been reading *really* vintage stuff, myself: E.E. Smith’s “Skylark” series, and some older Andre Norton and the like. Good times!
48 | Coffee & a BookChick (@CoffeeBookChick)
December 27, 2012 at 8:37 am
Yes, I think I’m in! I’m over at http://www.coffeeandabookchick.com/2012/12/the-2013-sci-fi-experience.html
and I need to update the post with this banner and pic as well!
[...] the start of the year – sci fi reading event hosted by Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings and Vintage Sci Fi hosted by Andrea at the Little Red Reviewer (check them both out if you enjoy reading good books [...]
January 1, 2013 at 1:42 am
My first review of 2013 is now posted. It is the second book in the Perry Rhodan series. Original publishing date: 1961.
[...] along – interesting in taking part in any of these none challenges?? Check out the details here, here and here. They’re going to be good so you should really sign yourself up. [...]
January 1, 2013 at 3:12 pm
[...] with these lovely events: Andrea at Little Red Reviewer created her own SF-related non-challenge, The Vintage SF Month. And World’s Without End is hosting a year-long Women of Genre Fiction [...]
[...] 2013. With the new year come two new projects that Two Dudes is proud to be a part of. First, the Vintage SciFi Not-a-challenge, hosted by Little Red Reviewer. This will be a fun month-long excursion into the past, where a [...]
[...] even if you only read one book – or none for that matter (just take part in the discussion) Vintage Sci-fi by Little Red Reviewer (hosted by Andrea) and The Science Fiction Experience by Stainless Steel Droppings (hosted by [...]
January 4, 2013 at 6:14 pm
Hey
Watched Alien last night and couldn’t resist a post. Yes, I know, this isn’t really reading is it (well, it’s not reading at all full stop – it’s watching/viewing) – but it is vintage! And it’s VERY good!! And I couldn’t resist. And it’s definitely science fiction. But… I know I’m being a cheater so delete if you think not okay for VSF.
Lynn
http://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/alien-by-ridley-scott/
January 5, 2013 at 11:33 am
absolutely not cheating, media 100% counts! Also, Alien is one of my all time favorite movies!
January 5, 2013 at 12:59 am
After a brief stomach virus setback, I got my first post up! Damon Knight’s Analogue Men. I assume this is the best place to pimp a link, so here goes!
http://twodudesff.wordpress.com/2013/01/04/nygsf-analogue-men
January 7, 2013 at 5:38 am
My first review is up! The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert A. Heinlein: http://overtheeffingrainbow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/review-moon-is-harsh-mistress-by-robert_7.html
LOVED IT.
January 7, 2013 at 12:02 pm
[...] exploring Sci Fi worlds in January, and my first review for the Sci Fi Experience and the Vintage Science Fiction month is At the Earth’s Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs. First published in hardback in 1922, [...]
January 7, 2013 at 12:16 pm
Just reviewed At the Earth’s Core by Edgar Rice Burroughs–1922, so I think that counts as vintage. http://marveloustales.wordpress.com/2013/01/07/a-familiar-story-at-the-earths-core/
January 7, 2013 at 5:07 pm
I’ve reviewed Of Men and Monsters from 1968. It’s by William Tenn. It’s about a future where the human race has been reduced to living like rats in the walls of a conquering race of giant aliens. I liked it.
http://readywhenyouarecb.blogspot.com/2013/01/were-all-just-rats-in-walls-of-men-and.html
January 8, 2013 at 8:15 am
Decided to go with Andre Norton and Sargasso of Space (Solar Queen #1). First post.
January 8, 2013 at 11:25 am
[...] And for some more vintage sci-fi reviews, check out the Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge over at the Little Red Reviewer. [...]
January 8, 2013 at 11:25 am
My first entry for the year is Edmond Hamilton’s 1950 City at World’s End.
January 10, 2013 at 3:07 pm
Second entry: Group Discussion Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey (Parts I & II)
http://www.impressionsofareader.com/2013/01/book-discussion-dragonflight-by-anne.html
January 11, 2013 at 1:43 pm
Third entry: Sci Fi Books Old & New: When the price is right
http://www.impressionsofareader.com/2013/01/sci-fi-books-old-new-when-price-is-right.html
January 11, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey Read Along: Week 1
http://coffeecookiesandchilipeppers.blogspot.com/2013/01/dragonflight-by-anne-mccaffrey-read.html
[...] reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A Heinlein. I’ve read this as part of the Vintage Sci fi event I’m taking part in and happily this also counts to my other none challenge event being [...]
January 12, 2013 at 7:09 pm
I have reviewed Little Fuzzy, by H. Beam Piper: http://overtheeffingrainbow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/review-little-fuzzy-by-h-beam-piper.html
January 12, 2013 at 7:11 pm
My first entry is Red Planet by Heinlein:
http://bitterteaandmystery.blogspot.com/2013/01/red-planet-robert-heinlein.html
January 13, 2013 at 1:48 am
My second entry is The End of Eternity by Asimov:
http://bitterteaandmystery.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-end-of-eternity-isaac-asimov.html
[...] on – who knows maybe the content will reveal all. Hoping to get to this as part of the Vintage Sci fi but realistically might not manage it – it does look rather chunky to say the least! Maybe [...]
January 13, 2013 at 7:39 am
Here’s my review of The Moon is a Harsh Mistress.
http://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2013/01/11/the-moon-is-a-harsh-mistress-by-robert-a-heinlein/
Lynn
January 13, 2013 at 1:36 pm
My review of (what I could read of) A Princess of Mars, by Edgar Rice Burroughs: http://overtheeffingrainbow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/review-princess-of-mars-by-edgar-rice.html
January 13, 2013 at 2:12 pm
For my Sunday entry I’m continuing with Andre Norton. “Andre Norton: Storm Over Warlock (Forerunners, Book #1)” This will be my last entry about Norton’s works.
http://www.impressionsofareader.com/2013/01/andre-norton-storm-over-warlock.html
January 13, 2013 at 11:12 pm
Hi, here is my review of Catseye by Andre Norton, my first book read for your vintage experience: http://susanflynn.blogspot.ca/2013/01/vintage-reads-and-women-of-genre.html Thanks for hosting this
‘not a challenge”
January 14, 2013 at 1:26 am
I just reviewed my first book for this year’s Vintage SF Month, The Time Traders by Andre Norton:
http://www.stainlesssteeldroppings.com/the-time-traders-andre-norton
January 14, 2013 at 11:41 pm
[...] For some more vintage sci-fi reviews, check out the Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge over at the Little Red Reviewer. [...]
January 15, 2013 at 5:25 am
[...] you’ve heard, Andrea over at The Little red Reviewer is hosting Vintage Scifi Month and she asked me to do a guest post on something vintage and scifi-ish. I chose Brian Stableford, [...]
January 15, 2013 at 5:33 pm
Howdie, my review of Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.
Lynn
http://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/do-androids-dream-of-electric-sheep-by-philip-k-dick/
[...] book. I’m including this both as my Vintage Sci fi none challenge being hosted over at Little Red Reviewer and also the Science Fiction Experience being hosted by Stainless Steel [...]
January 17, 2013 at 6:02 pm
Hello there!
My latest post the conclusion of: Group Read of Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey (Parts III & IV).
http://www.impressionsofareader.com/2013/01/book-discussion-dragonflight-by-anne_17.html
[...] published in 1979 I’m including this as one of my books on the Vintage Sci Fi event hosted by Little Red Reviewer. I’m also including on Stainless Steel Droppings Sci-Fi [...]
January 19, 2013 at 7:55 am
Hitch Hikers Guide: my link:
http://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/the-hitchhikers-guide-to-the-galaxy-by-douglas-adams/
Lynn
[...] finished reading Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I’m reading this book to include as part of my Vintage Sci Fi being hosted by the Little Red Reviewer and also the Sci Fi Experience over at Stainless Steel [...]
January 20, 2013 at 12:21 pm
My review of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde:
http://lynnsbooks.wordpress.com/2013/01/20/dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde-by-robert-louis-stevenson/
Lynn
[...] hope that the gentle hostess of the 2013 Vintage Sci-Fi Not-a-challenge will forgive the blatant trespass of high fantasy into her project, because this is definitely [...]
January 20, 2013 at 12:50 pm
This should come up automatically, but here’s a link to Red Moon and Black Mountain, by Joy Chant. It’s fantasy, but it’s old and obscure, so hopefully Little Red won’t smite me.
http://twodudesff.wordpress.com/2013/01/20/red-moon-and-black-mountain/
January 20, 2013 at 7:50 pm
[...] The Vintage SF Not-A-Challenge [...]
January 20, 2013 at 7:53 pm
I’m a little late to the party, I’m afraid, but I didn’t actually get much time to read during January. Here’s my review/discussion of Berserker, by Fred Saberhagen, published in 1963.
http://ps-ana.com/2013/01/20/berserker-the-wolves-of-space/
90 | Julia (@mizzelle)
January 22, 2013 at 12:43 am
Posted a review of Randall Garrett’s Murder and Magic, the first Lord Darcy short story collection published in 1979, but all the stories were published earlier in Analog or otherwise. Alternate history + magic + murder mystery.
http://rightbroad.blogspot.com/2013/01/vintage-sf-randall-garretts-murder-and.html
January 22, 2013 at 5:15 pm
Review of Kindred by Octavia E. Butler:
http://coffeecookiesandchilipeppers.blogspot.com/2013/01/kindred-by-octavia-e-butler.html
January 23, 2013 at 12:06 pm
[...] thought this was going to fit in for the Vintage Sci Fi challenge too, only to discover that it misses the cut-off by three years–it was published in 1982. [...]
January 24, 2013 at 10:56 pm
I reviewed The Caves of Steel by Isaac Asimov, a cross genre novel blending mystery and science fiction.
http://bitterteaandmystery.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-caves-of-steel-isaac-asimov.html
January 25, 2013 at 12:27 pm
Just read and reviewed Earth Abides. Nothing like a little end of the world to help pass those winter days…
http://nashvillebookworm.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/review-earth-abides-by-george-r-stewart/
[...] three goals in one. Firstly, vintage sci fi – currently being hosted by Andrea at the Little Red Reviewer. Two, it counts as an entry for my Sci Fi reading experience being hosted by Carl at Stainless [...]
January 26, 2013 at 6:26 am
Finally! Finished THE LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS. http://overtheeffingrainbow.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/review-left-hand-of-darkness-by-ursula.html
[...] and insight. It will have to suffice however; I can only hope this is worthy to be my final 2013 Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge contribution. (There may yet be more, but knowing my writing speed lately, I’m not counting on it.) And [...]
January 30, 2013 at 12:01 pm
[...] my second Vintage Sci Fi read, I went back to the world at the Earth’s core, with Pellucidar by Edgar Rice [...]
January 30, 2013 at 12:46 pm
New vintage review: Pellucidar by Edgar Rice Burroughs
http://marveloustales.wordpress.com/2013/01/30/back-to-pellucidar/
January 30, 2013 at 9:39 pm
My review of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. I read a vintage edition, even: http://tomtificate.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/the-war-of-the-worlds-vintage-scifi-not-a-challenge-review/
1 | Förra årets böcker, och läsning 2012 « Landet Annien
January 2, 2012 at 8:03 am
[...] mycket fortare, så att jag kunde ställa upp och bidra till sådana roliga icke-utmaningar som Vintage SciFi Not-a-Challenge eller The 2012 Science Fiction [...]