Created by F. Paul Wilson Another gloomy future. Most of the Earth's population has got while the getting's good, abandoning the ol' home planet for the safety of outer space. The few that have stuck around in horror and sci-fi writer F. Paul Wilson's Dydeetown World (1989) have to make do with a world where, … Continue reading Sig Dreyer
Tag: Science Fiction
Lije Baley & R.D. Olivaw
Created by Isaac Asimov(1920-92) Sorry, but as several folks have pointed out, sci-fi meister Isaac Asimov's ELIJAH "LIJE" BALEY and his robot partner R. DANEEL OLIVAW don't really cut it as private eyes. As members of the New York city police, sometime in the future, they fail to meet even the minimum standards for private … Continue reading Lije Baley & R.D. Olivaw
Marîd Audran
Created by George Alec Effinger (1947-2002) When George Alec Effinger dropped When Gravity Fails in 1987, nobody was expecting a ballsy cyberpunk mash-up of Raymond Chandler and 1001 Arabian Nights--or that it would work as well as it did. Although, come to think of it, cyberpunk already owed a good deal of its grittiness and jaded cynicism to … Continue reading Marîd Audran
Jake Cardigan
Created by William Shatner (1931--) When I first heard about this one, I was all set to lace into this one. I mean, Tiberius Hambone a writer? But he -- or at least Ron Goulart -- pulled it off. The first novel, TekWar (1989), which kicked off the whole franchise, was nothing earth-shattering, but decent … Continue reading Jake Cardigan
Ben Jolson
Created by Ron Goulart (1933--) BEN JOLSON is a rather unique twist on the old master-of-disguise master-detective bit. It seems Ben's a chameleon, a Special Agent of the Political Espionage Office of the Planet Barnum, part of the Galactic Chameleon Corps, and able to assume the shape of any life species, be it bird, a baboon … Continue reading Ben Jolson
Jake & Hildy Pace
Created by Ron Goulart (1933--) Private eyes pop up in the myriad universes of science fiction from time to time, and Ron Goulart has been responsible for quite a few of them; the husband-and-wife team of JAKE and HILDY PACE are probably the most enduring and memorable among his lazgun-packing ops. Take the sharp wit and … Continue reading Jake & Hildy Pace
Fredric Brown
Pseudonyms include Bob Woehlke (1906-72) "There are no rules. You can write a story, if you wish, with no conflict, no suspense, no beginning, middle or end. Of course, you have to be regarded as a genius to get away with it, and that's the hardest part -- convincing everybody you're a genius." -- Fredric … Continue reading Fredric Brown
Down Those Mean Skies…
The Case of the Private Detective in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Related Genres "I've seen the future, brother/It is murder." -- Leonard Cohen, "The Future" "I checked out with K19 on Aldabaran III, and stepped out through the crummalite hatch on my 22 Model Sirus Hardtop. I cocked the timejector in secondary and waded through … Continue reading Down Those Mean Skies…
Conrad Metcalf
Created by Johnathan Lethem "The subject was as easy to spot as a kangaroo in a dinner jacket." -- Raymond Chandler "Tell him next time he wants to talk to me, don't send a marsupial." - Conrad offers some thugs some advice on etiquette Hard-boiled private "inquisitor" CONRAD METCALF made his debut in 1995's Gun, With … Continue reading Conrad Metcalf
Ray Electromatic
Created by Adam Christopher Adam Christopher returns to all the juicy, pulpy retro-future goodness of his debut novel Empire State (2011), but chucks the 1940s-flavoured future for one that owes more to the Swinging Sixties (complete with British Invasion bands, miniskirts, go-go dancers and a very non-assassinated JFK in the White House) in cages, with … Continue reading Ray Electromatic